Residents across north and east Manchester will be able to recycle plastic and cardboard at home as part of Manchester City Council’s plan to turn the city into the UK’s recycling capital.

More than 40,000 new households will be able to place used plastic bottles and cardboard items into their existing recycling bins from July 6, as part of a series of improvements which will see all Manchester residents receiving a better recycling service by the end of the year.

Once collected, plastic will then be turned into everything from fleeces to window frames, while cardboard will be transformed into packaging such as egg boxes.

The new service is the latest change being introduced following last year’s waste and recycling consultation, which more than 25,000 Mancunians responded to, with nearly 90 per cent saying they wanted to recycle more materials.

Councillor Nigel Murphy, Manchester City Council's Assistant Executive Member for the Environment, said: "The consultation showed residents trusted us to listen to their views and act on them, and that’s exactly what we’re doing here.”

High Blackley Councillor Anna Trotman (pictured with local residents May and Christine” added “This is the latest new service we’re introducing to make recycling easier for residents across Higher Blackley, but it’s by no means the end. We’re still listening to residents’ views and more improvements will be made.”

Higher Blackley resident Jim Burke, who is due to receive the new service, said: “I think it’s great that we're getting this. I've been wanting to recycle more for a while and this is going to make that much easier, as well as meaning I'll put a lot less in my main household bin.”