BULKY waste collection charges for Worcester residents are among the lowest in the country, according to a new study.

The research, compiled by the BBC and called The Bulky Waste Postcode Lottery, looks into differing costs of bulky waste collections across the country.

‘Bulky Waste’ is classified as furniture, kitchen appliances such as fridges and freezers, or anything else that won’t fit into a bin.

The figures from the study show that for single item collections, Worcester is the fifth lowest when compared to other local authorities who charge for collections, charging £10 for a single item collection, well below the £26.50 national average for first charges.

Only Bromsgrove, Redditch, Southend-on-sea, Kirklees and Charnwood charge less for collecting single bulky items.

For collections of two and three items, Worcestershire was the second cheapest in the country, charging £15 for two items and £20 for three.

A spokesman for Worcester City Council said: “Our charges are designed to offer an affordable doorstep collection service to Worcester residents.

“The pricing is based on the size of the item to be collected and the number of items.

“We believe that the service’s low prices help to reduce fly tipping in the area.”

Malvern Hills residents have to pay £24.50 for up to three items, and Wychavon residents have to pay £20 for two items, £40 for four items and £60 for six items.

Elsewhere in the country, charges for collections in Aylesbury Vale in Buckinghamshire were top of the list for most expensive first charges at £75 for up to three items.

The report also claimed there were nearly one million incidents of fly-tipping across the country between 2017 and 2018, with more than half being white goods (fridges and freezers)