Bin collection day is changing for some households in Somerset over the Christmas and New Year holiday.

Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) is asking residents to plan ahead and be ready for changes to collections this festive fortnight.

Public holidays always mean a change to collection days over Christmas and New Year. SWP said in a statement: "Heavy festive loads and three-weekly rubbish collections make it extra important not to miss yours.

"And, with winter on its way, everyone is encouraged think about ‘clearing the decks’ before Christmas in case bad weather disrupts collections. All collections remain unchanged up to and including Friday 23 December."

There are no collections on Monday 26 December or Monday 2 January. Both weeks’ collections will be a day later than usual. This includes Saturday collections on 31 December and 7 January of waste usually picked-up on the Friday.

The revised schedule for recycling and refuse is below. As usual, garden waste collections are suspended for the festive fortnight.

Usual Day/ Revised Day

Friday 23 December - No change

Monday 26 December - Tuesday 27 December

Tuesday 27 December - Wednesday 28 December

Wednesday 28 December - Thursday 29 December

Thursday 29 December - Friday 30 December

Friday 30 December - Saturday 31 December

Monday 2 January - Tuesday 3 January

Tuesday 3 January - Wednesday 4 January

Wednesday 4 January - Thursday 5 January

Thursday 5 January - Friday 6 January

Friday 6 January - Saturday 7 January

Normal service resumes from Monday 9 January.

You can also check collection days for now and the rest of the year using the online My Collection Day feature at somersetwaste.gov.uk.

You can download a calendar for printing or, better still, download it into the calendar on your device and get automatic reminders of your collection days, says SWP.

It added: "Snow, ice and freezing temperatures can disrupt collections so please bear with us in the event of severe weather.

"Crews will return as soon as possible for any missed collections. If conditions are bad we may not be able to meet our usual ‘return in two days’ target.

"Check somersetwaste.gov.uk for updates if we are experiencing disruption.

"If severe weather is forecast, residents may wish to ‘clear the decks’ before the festive period so you have room in your recycling boxes and refuse bin.

"Recycle everything you can in your next collection. If you are able, you may want to take black bag refuse to a recycling site so your bin is empty when the festive season starts.

"All 16 recycling sites are open on their usual winter hours over Christmas and New Year, except all close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Crewkerne recycling site will have one extra day open, on Tuesday 27 December.

"The sites are a great way to dispose of large amount of recycling, such as cardboard, and will have special drop-off points for paper gift wrap."