BIN collection dates are to change for some households over the Christmas holidays.

Durham County Council says that rubbish and recycling collections which normally take place on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays will be affected.

Collections which usually take place on a Tuesday will take place as normal on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

Bins which are usually emptied on Wednesdays will now be emptied on Friday, December 27 and Thursday, January 2.

Collections which normally take place on Thursdays will instead be carried out on Saturday, December 28 and Friday, January 3.

Rubbish normally removed on Fridays will instead be taken away on Monday, December 30 and Saturday, January 4.

A normal service will resume on Tuesday, January 7.

Keith Parkinson, refuse and recycling manager at Durham County Council, said: "Bin collections will still take place during the festive period but the date of the actual collection will change for some people.

"It is important that residents check their collection dates and ensure they put the right bin out on the correct day."

County Durham residents can also arrange for their real Christmas tree to be collected free of charge by ringing 03000 26 1000 before Monday, January 6.

Alternatively people can take real Christmas trees to any household waste recycling centre in the county, although all sites will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

There will be no bulky waste collections between Monday, December 23 and Friday, January 3.