HOUSEHOLDS will have to find a little extra space at home from today when thousands of new wheelie bins and recycling boxes are delivered to the city.

The first of the 16,000 wheelie bins will be sent out across Oxford and it will take two weeks for them to reach every home in Blackbird Leys, Cowley, Iffley and Rose Hill.

Already 2,000 residents in these areas have contacted Oxford City Council to ask for smaller wheelie bins for general waste to go alongside the delivery of up to four recycling boxes.

The council hopes the new fortnightly collections will increase the city's poor recycling performance from just 19 per cent of households to more than 40 per cent.

Jean Fooks, the city council's executive member for a cleaner city, said: "Having so many people in the second area say they think they'll be able to recycle more and so not need the bigger bin is also encouraging.

"This suggests that we should see another big increase in the amounts being recycled in Oxford once collections start in the second area."

Collections of the new bins - which will replace the former weekly collection of black sacks - began elsewhere in the city last year.

By the middle of January the council estimated about 800 tonnes had already been saved from landfill sites.

Homes can also get email or text alerts about what day to put out which boxes or bins by dialling 01865 252900 or emailing recycling@oxford.gov.uk