Lecturers at University College Northampton are celebrating after winning two prestigious national environmental awards in a week.

Its Corby Waste Not scheme won the waste minimisation category and the best overall project award in the National Green Apple Awards for Best Environmental Practice.

The scheme had a dramatic impact on the recycling rate in Corby.

The latest green success comes after the university's Northamptonshire Cut Waste - Improve Competitiveness scheme took the prize for Best Waste Minimisation Project of the Year in the National Recycling Awards last week.

Centre of excellence

The scheme involved 80 companies training 200 staff in waste minimisation methods and making savings totalling more than �250,000.

Lecturer Dr Margaret Bates said the new awards would help reinforce the university's growing reputation as the premier UK waste management centre of excellence.

"Northamptonshire already has more waste minimisation and recycling projects than any other county in the UK, and that number is now set to grow."