AS Twelfth Night approaches, trees, decorations and cards are taken down for another year, creating another mass of rubbish which is likely to end up in landfill sites.

The Government has predicted that extra packaging, presents, parties, festive food and drinks, will create three million tonnes of waste and that even though more than half of this could be recycled, almost 90 per cent will be thrown away.

Between January 2 and 9, Kennet residents who want to help look after the planet can take their unwanted Christmas trees to one of two recycling cages at Focus DIY store in Devizes and George Lane car park in Marlborough. Kennet District Council will collect them and take them away for recycling.

From January 5 Christmas cards can be taken to recycling bins in branches of Tesco and WH Smith. They will then be sold for recycling with the proceeds going to the Woodland Trust, a charity dedicated to the preservation and creation of woodlands.

Green garden waste and Christmas trees, along with holiday newspapers and TV guides, can be taken to the household recycling centres at Amesbury, Honeyball (Calne), Melksham and Everleigh.

The Christmas trees will be taken to nearby composting sites where they will be shredded before being used to make compost.

Kerbside collections of recyclables in Devizes and Marlborough will continue over the Christmas period, but dates will change over the holiday period.

Residents are urged to check the information supplied with their black boxes for amended collection dates during this time.

Mark Smith, Kennet's environment and amenity services manager said: "The council recognises the importance of recycling and continually strives to encourage residents to recycle.

"The recycling of Christmas trees is another important service offered to residents by the council, to help reduce the amount of waste taken to landfill."