Residents in north Oxfordshire have taken the green message on board as latest figures reveal they are recycling more than twice as much as the average household.

Cherwell District Council is now recycling more than 42 per cent of the waste it collects from homes across the district.

The performance is way ahead of other councils in the county with South Oxfordshire sending 23.25 per cent of its weekly kerbside collection for recycling and West Oxfordshire recycling between 21 and 22 per cent.

The Vale of White Horse is recycling more than 21 per cent, close to this year's Government target of 22 per cent.

In Oxford City the Government target was 16.5 per cent but the council is likely to achieve just 15 per cent.

Cherwell's target is 25 per cent, while the national average for local councils is 17.7 per cent. Kieron Mallon, executive member for the environment, said: "It is clear from these figures that, thanks to the efforts of our residents, Cherwell District Council's recycling scheme has made a big contribution to the improvement in the national recycling figures.

"Our current 42 per cent rate is way in excess of the target we set when we launched the new service 18 months ago and a huge increase on the 11 per cent recycled in Cherwell then.

"The Government is determined to keep pushing the national figures up by raising targets and we are committed to doing what we can to encourage people to recycle more."

The recycling success could put Cherwell District Council among the top 10 local councils in the country when the final figures for 2004/05 are published.

The top recycling council for last year -- 2003/04 -- was Lichfield in Staffordshire with 46 per cent, followed by Daventry with 42 per cent. No other authority topped 40 per cent.

For more information call the customer hotline on 01295 221940 or email amenity.services@cherwell-dc.gov.uk. Alternatively visit www.cherwell-dc.gov.uk