GREEN fingered residents are being given a helping hand to get rid of unwanted garden waste courteousy of a new council collection service.

More than 30,000 refuse bags have been distributed across Redbridge which residents can fill up with grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, flowers and plants.

The re-usable sacks have been left on doorsteps together with a letter informing gardeners about how to use the service.

Deliveries should be complete by the end of this week.

The weekly service is due to be run until October 31, with users asked to leave the untied bags at the boundary of their properties by 7am on each collection day.

A council spokesman said: “Please mark your house number on the bag, and to prevent it from blowing away, please provide a rock or stone which can be placed on top of the bag when we have emptied it.”

For more information visit: redbridge.gov.uk