COTSWOLD District Council is supporting a campaign to encourage recycling.

It has backed the #Pledge4Plastics campaign launching this week with the aim of getting recycling back on the household agenda.

The campaign is a new government backed initiative created to significantly increase the collection of plastic packaging for recycling.

Knowing that five billion plastic bottles were sent to UK landfill sites last year, the initiative has joined forces with interior designer Abigail Ahern to launch #Pledge4Plastics, which will urge people to make a promise that they will recycle just one extra plastic bottle per household each week.

To highlight the many ways plastic can be given a new life if recycled correctly the designer has channelled her distinct quirky style to design her first ever bespoke phone cover, which is made from 80 percent recycled plastic bottles.

One thousand limited edition phone covers have been designed exclusively for #Pledge4Plastics, to reward those who register their support online throughout September at pledge4plastics.co.uk or tweet @pledge4plastics.

Councillor David Fowles, the cabinet member for the environment at Cotswold District Council, said: "Although recycling rates in this district are the best in the county, we certainly have no grounds for complacency and we often need to remind the public about the importance of recycling as much waste as possible to protect our environment.

"The #Pledge4Plastics campaign is a good way of encouraging everyone to do their bit."