GARDENERS are being urged to reap the rewards of recycling and pick up a bag of free compost from Cherwell District Council.

The council is hosting one of its 'Green Fingered Giveaways' today in Banbury.

The compost giveaways hope to promote its food and garden waste recycling service and will hand out compost made from their own brown bin contents from across the county.

Cherwell District Council assistant director of environmental services Ed Potter said: "Everything we collect via the brown bin service is taken to a composting site at Ardley.

"It’s broken down at high temperatures and in just a couple of months is ready to be used on farmers’ fields, promoting healthy soil and sustainability in the food industry.

"It will be exciting to see people take a little bit of this home with them and see the benefits of composting in their own gardens."

The giveaway is being held today in Market Place car park in Banbury from 8am to 1pm.

For details cherwell.gov.uk