This is when your waste will be collected if bank holiday prevents collection

The only days off for City of York Council's front-line workers will be the bank holidays, said Cllr Andrew Waller, executive member for environmental services.

He said: "We’ve listened to residents and this year we’re maintaining collections over the Christmas period.

"This is just one example of how we are introducing a number of improvements to help residents recycle more, reduce waste and minimise fly-tipping.”

He said the authority had sent all households a new waste and recycling calendar for 2018/19, which included information on collections over the Christmas and New Year period and up to next November.

Council leader Ian Gillies said the new calendars provided tips and advice on what items could and couldn't be recycled, including paper/cardboard, glass, plastic bottles, cans/tins and garden waste if applicable.

"As well as the paper copies, residents can also look up their collection dates and download a calendar, from mid-December, at: www.york.gov.uk/refuselookup .”

A council spokeswoman said collections due on Christmas Day will be collected instead tomorrow (Saturday December 22), while Boxing Day's will be collected on Saturday, December 29 and New Year’s Day's will be collected on Saturday January 5. "All other days will be as normal," she said.

"Extra festive recycling will be collected too including greeting cards, paper, wrapping paper (non foil), cardboard, plastic bottles, tins or glass.

"All residents need to do is correctly sort them and place them in separate untied clear bags or open boxes of a similar size to a recycling box and put out with their recycling, or simply take them to a recycling site.

"Real Christmas trees and wreaths can also be taken to recycling sites at Hazel Court or Towthorpe.

"Please note that both sites are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day."

She added that garden waste collections will start up again next year in April.