A village has been handed more than £54,000 to be a green pioneer.

Residents in Hassocks are to have weekly kerbside collections of materials such as paper, glass, and plastic in a recycling scheme trial.

The pilot, being funded by the Government, will involve 1,000 houses from April.

Mid Sussex District Council has been awarded £54,122 from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to pay for recycling improvements.

This week the council's Cabinet voted for Hassocks to pilot the 12-month scheme.

Cabinet member for community development councillor David Russell said: "Securing funding for this project is an important step in developing the future of waste management and minimisation for the whole of Mid Sussex.

"If this pilot scheme is a success we will be in a position to consider rolling out the service to other areas."

The scheme is part of the council's aim to increase recycling in the area.

Last year an average of 19 per cent of domestic waste was recycled through schemes run by the council.