INVERCLYDE Council is reintroducing fortnightly garden waste collections this month.

The brown bins will be uplifted on 19 and 26 March and then twice a week throughout spring and summer.

Councillor Robert Moran, who is the convener of the local authority's safe, sustainable communities committee, hopes the collections will help green-fingered residents eager to start work in their gardens.

He said: "As the unusually mild and wet winter weather has helped the gardens of Inverclyde to thrive, we have decided to start garden waste collections in time for the Easter break.

"The collection crews will be working throughout the spring and summer so keen gardeners can start using their brown bins to recycle all those weeds, grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, cut flowers and plants."

Residents are asked to place their brown bins beside their blue bins by 7am on their regular recycling collection day.

Polythene bags and plastic items should not be placed in brown bins.

For more information call the council's recycling helpline on 715901.