The festive period is a time for joy and celebrating but this year local residents are being urged to enjoy Christmas sustainably.

It is five more sleeps until the big day and fans of real Christmas trees may be dashing out to purchase theirs this week.

Wandsworth council is urging people to remember to recycle their tree and promises to collect the trees for free of charge between January 4 and January 14.

Battersea residents can put trees out on scheduled refuse collection day alongside rubbish and recycling sacks.

If you live in flats leave your tree near your communal refuse bin store.

Remember that wrapping paper (the non-metallic kind), Christmas cards (without glitter on them), as well as bottles and jars can also be recycled.

When enjoying all the festive food remember to recycle drink cans, Christmas pudding and cream pots (rinsed) as well as ice cream tubs.

When wrapping gifts be conscious of what you wrap them in, remember to save anything you can from your own gifts to use next year and buy consciously from brands such as Re-wrapped.

Presents in cardboard packaging can be recycled, but any plastic shrinkwrap, tin foil, bubble wrap or polystyrene cannot, unless taken to supermarkets where they collect plastic bags and film.

We can all do our bit to have a green Christmas.

If you need more sacks you can request them online, or pick them up from certain libraries. Large pieces of cardboard can be left out of bags but must be kept dry. Other clear sacks can be used as well as those provided by the council.