SOMERSET Council is reminding residents to recycle their Christmas tree once the festive period eventually dies down in the new year.

If you have the facilities, a good option is to compost it at home, or even 'turn it into a wildlife corner'.

As an alternative, Garden Waste Service subscribers can leave their decoration-free tree out with their first collection of the year, so long as its smaller than 2 metres (or 6ft) - the service will resume from Monday January 8.

In addition to these options, many charities, community organisations and groups are running tree collection or drop-off services, in order to raise money for good causes.

These include St Margarets Hospice and Dorothy House Hospice Care. Please check online for details.

Trees can also be taken to any of Somerset’s recycling sites and to be put in the garden waste skip.

Any fake/plastic trees that have lost their Christmas cheer should be disposed of via the Energy from Waste skip at any of Somerset’s recycling sites.

Recycling sites will be closed on Bank Holidays but will be open for their usual hours at other times, check online for details: www.somerset.gov.uk/waste.

Cllr Dixie Darch, Executive Lead Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “Although there’s festivities still to come, don’t forget to plan what to do with your tree following the seasonal celebrations.

“I’d encourage residents to think green and make sure that Christmas trees are sustainably disposed of, contributing to making Somerset a greener, more sustainable county."