ANY real Christmas trees will be collected by Southampton City Council in the new year.

Bin men will be collecting Christmas trees from Monday, January 12 until Friday, January 23 during their general rounds.

Anyone who would like the council to collect the tree can leave it on the edge of their property boundary (not on the pavement).

Alternatively, households can dispose of Christmas trees free of charge by taking them to the Household Waste Recycling Centre at First Avenue in Millbrook.

Eastleigh Borough Council has highlighted 12 sites in the borough where residents can take real trees for recycling between January 5 and January 19.

They are Brambridge Garden Centre in Brambridge, Lakeside Country Park in Eastleigh, Haskins Garden Centre in West End, Arturi’s Garden Centre and Fair Oak Garden Centre in Fair Oak, Woodhouse Lane Car Park, in Hedge End, Mortimer Road Car Park in Botley, and Hound Parish Hall in Woolston Road, Netley.

You can also take them to the recycling centres in Shamblehurst Lane, Hedge End, Knowle Lane, Fair Oak, Woodside Avenue, Eastleigh, and Grange Road, Netley.

All recycled trees are chipped and mixed with other green waste and composted to produce a peat-free soil conditioner.

Residents who use the council’s garden waste scheme can get their Christmas trees under 4ft collected on their scheduled collection day if they place it next to the garden waste bin.