Two Oxfordshire councils have been given more than £1.1million for waste recycling schemes.

Cherwell District Council received £998,240 for the provision of kerbside green waste and dry "recyclables" collection.

And South Oxfordshire District Council was awarded £132,184 for a promotional campaign to increase waste awareness and the rate of recycling.

The total for the county comes to £1,130,424. The cash comes from the Government's national waste minimisation and recycling fund.

Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett handed out £76m from the fund to 142 schemes from local authorities across England.

The successful schemes were chosen out of 357 applications.

Mrs Beckett said Britain needed to reduce the amount of rubbish dumped in landfill sites.

She added: "We certainly do need to raise our game on recycling.

"It really is now down to all concerned to build up a momentum in tackling waste and take everyone forward, encouraging less landfill, more recycling and a better environment for all."