CHRISTMAS trees will not be collected by the Dorset Waste Partnership this year.

The DWP's joint committee recently approved plans to cease the free collection of real Christmas trees when placed at the kerbside for collection with rubbish bins.

Local councils are not obliged to collect the trees and the DWP said collecting them contradicted its waste strategy as they were disposed of with general rubbish to go to treatment or landfill.

All other green waste collected by DWP is composted.

This will only affect residents living in the Dorset County Council area. In December last year Bournemouth Council agreed to axe its Christmas tree collection for residents.

Residents will be encouraged to use their garden waste service, take their real Christmas tree to a household recycling centre, or use charitable Christmas tree collections.