MUM-of-two Sharon Doyle has won a prize for recycling, saying we must protect the environment for future generations.

Sharon is the first person to receive £50 of Asda shopping vouchers for putting out her green bag every fortnight for collection.

The council-run scheme aims to increase the number of people who use the bags to recycle their newspapers, leaflets and junk mail. Two winners will be drawn every week until March.

Sharon, of Kenilworth Close, Radcliffe, has lived in the area for 19 years and is a primary school teacher at Masefield CP school in Little Lever.

"I have recycled for ten years and have had to use the recycling bins at supermarkets in the past with two children in the car!" she said.

"The Bury recycling scheme has saved me lots of time and money and must be more eco-friendly than everyone driving to the recycling bins individually."

She added: "I have a grey bin, brown bin for garden refuse, blue bin for bottles and cans and a green bag for paper. The waste paper bag is great because the weekend newspapers use so much paper, and it is great that they are being recycled. I think Bury have always been a forward-thinking council and this scheme needs to work for our children and grandchildren's sakes."