Christmas tree collections start in Basingstoke and Deane in January - or drop off at a site in North West Hampshire

Garden waste service customers in Basingstoke and Deane can put their real Christmas trees out for collection with their fortnightly garden waste in the new year.

The service takes its usual two-week break from Monday, December 27 until Friday, January 7, to enable the crew to support the waste and recycling rounds which are very busy during the festive season.

Collections resume in the borough on Monday, January 10, and trees left out should have all decorations removed and if over six-feet high, should be cut in half.

Alternatively, residents can drop off their real trees at 22 local sites, which will then be transformed into wood chippings for the borough’s parks and ProGrow soil conditioner for gardens and parks.

Trees can be dropped off from Monday, January 3, to Sunday, January 30, in North West Hampshire at:

• Burghclere, Harts Lane, sports club car park
• Headley, Darling Buds of May, Newbury Road
• Kingsclere, Fieldgate Centre
• Pamber End, Elm Park Garden Centre, Aldermaston Road
• Silchester, The Pavilion car park
• Tadley, Hangar Road (parking bays near Wigmore Park)

Cabinet member for recycling, waste and regulatory services Hayley Eachus said: “Recycling your real Christmas tree is a really easy way to make Christmas more sustainable and for our garden waste customers, the benefits of leaving it out for collection are obvious.

"I’d encourage residents who aren’t garden waste customers, to take their tree to one of the drop-off points to enable us to turn them into wood chippings and soil conditioner for our parks."

For further information, contact the council on 01256 844844 or visit www.basingstoke.gov.uk/christmas-tree