SCORES of residents' recycling efforts were rewarded when eager gardeners bagged 60 tonnes of free soil improver.

The compost takeaway was held as a one-day event at the High Heavens composting facility in Booker, High Wycombe.

The aim of the event was to reward residents for using the food and garden waste collection service. The waste is then turned into soil improver on site, which can be used to improve the quality of soil and gardens.

Regular guided tours around the composting facility were also held on the day. Over 50 residents took up the opportunity, which allowed them to find out how their waste gets turned into soil improver.

Martin Tett, chairman of the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire, said: "The day proved to be a tremendous success and I am pleased that so many residents took the opportunity not only to sample the soil improver, but also to have a guided tour to help understand what happens on site.

"High Heavens composting facility is delivering a major change in the way we deal with our waste, by diverting large amounts of household food and garden waste from landfill and turning it into valuable soil improver."

Visitors to the event on August 31 were also able to enter a competition, which tested their knowledge on composting.

Hilary Brash from Downley won first prize, £25 worth of garden centre vouchers, while second prize was awarded to B Hill from Princes Risborough who won a free compost bin.

The takeaway was organised and staffed by the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire and CRS, which operates the plant. Nearly a third of all households in Buckinghamshire have a food and garden waste collection scheme, diverting 54,000 tonnes of waste from landfill.

Local authorities are coming under increasing pressure to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste reaching landfill sites. As landfill tax is set to increase, Bucks councils face fines of up to £150 per tonne of biodegradable rubb-ish that is sent to landfill.