Residents in Finstock and Charlbury, near Witney, are helping to protect the environment by holding a plastics recycling day on December 7.

The collections between 10am and 2pm are being organised by the Charlbury and Finstock Waste Action Groups.

The groups are supported by Oxfordshire County Council and West Oxfordshire District Council, who finance the recycling collection days.

The Charlbury collection will be in the Spendlove car park and the Finstock collection at Well Hill.

Residents are being urged to bring along any unwanted plastic bottles such as drink, bleach or shampoo.

The only exceptions are plastics containers for oil or toxic household substances such as paint stripper or car care products.

These can be collected free of charge by phoning the county council on 01865 815700.

The district council's cabinet member for the environment, George Kellow, said: "A recent survey in the district showed that plastics make up a total of 4.4 per cent of the total waste residents throw away and half of this could be recycled."