RESIDENTS across Sandwell are being reminded that there will be changes to their normal bin collection day over Christmas and New Year.

All bins over the Christmas week will be collected two days later than usual and New Year’s week will see all bins collected one day later than usual.

Bins that would have been emptied on Monday – which is Christmas Day – will now be collected on Wednesday, Tuesday collections will be on Thursday and so on.

During the New Year week, Monday collections will be done on Tuesday and Tuesday collections on Wednesday and so forth.

The changes mean bin collections will operate on Wednesday (December 27) through to Sunday, December 31, then Tuesday, January 2, through to Saturday, January 6.

All bin collections will go back to their usual collection date from Monday, January 8.

For more information about bin collections over Christmas and New Year visit www.sandwell.gov.uk/christmasbins.

Councillor David Hosell, Sandwell Council's cabinet member for highways and environment, said: “We all produce more rubbish and recycling at Christmas and we are trying to ensure minimal disruption to bin collection services over Christmas and the New Year.

“We want people to make really good use of their food waste bin and recycling bin this Christmas, and put as little as possible in the grey bin.

“You can cut up cardboard boxes or fold them down and squash cans to help make more space in your blue lid bin.”

Residents are also reminded that the garden waste service is currently having a winter break and that there are no collections until February 23.

Real Christmas trees can be recycled at the tip at Shidas Lane, Oldbury, which is open from 8am to 4pm every day of the year except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.