Sunderland has a poor reputation for recycling

A scheme to boost the number of households and companies who recycle waste in Sunderland has been announced.

The city council hopes it will lift Wearside from the bottom of the UK rubbish league with a �300,000 kerbside collection scheme.

Only 1% of the city's household and trade waste is currently recycled, making it one the UK's worst performers.

Most of the 161,000 tonnes collected every year from doorsteps ends up in a landfill, putting Sunderland at the bottom of the pile nationally when it comes to recycling.

The new kerbside scheme involves giving every home a 55 litre recycling box which will be collected by the local authority.

The council admits some people might need persuading that the extra box in the yard and the extra effort is worthwhile.

The scheme will be piloted in one district in April or May and go city wide during the next financial year.