THE suspension to garden waste collection has been extended until March 1, Cheshire West and Chester Council has confirmed.

Initially a four week suspension from December 14, it had already been extended into February, with the latest news meaning Northwich and Winsford residents will go ten weeks without the service.

The council say the disruption to some of its services is due to Covid-19 infection rates in the borough remaining high and since the original lockdown in March last year, bin collection teams have been working extremely hard to maintain the usual service.

However, with a rise in infections and corresponding staff absence, waste collection services are particularly impacted.

Nationally, householders are being urged to try and limit the waste they generate from extra gardening, DIY or spring-cleaning, as councils deal with increased levels of domestic waste from families locked down at home.

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore said: "We thank all our residents who are affected for their understanding and patience in this matter.

"Our teams have been doing an amazing job keeping the service running through the coronavirus pandemic, and through the current lockdown, as many of us are spending most of our time in our own homes resulting in an increase the amount of rubbish we generate.

"Suspending garden waste collections is not a decision taken lightly, but I hope residents will understand that, as a result of the challenges of the pandemic, we have to prioritise waste and recycling collections.

"I’d like to thank the Cheshire West Recycling teams for doing such an amazing job in really difficult circumstances.

"I’d also like to thank residents for their continued efforts in reducing or reusing waste and composting as not only does this help our waste collection teams but also the environment."

The Council’s Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRCs) remain open to accept garden waste if your trip is essential.