RYEDALE is proving the age-old Yorkshire adage that "where's there's muck, there's brass!" after landing a massive surprise windfall from the Government of almost £670,000.

The district council has been given the money under the National Waste Minimisation and Recycling Challenge Fund which was set up to help local authorities improve and set up new recycling initiatives.

A delighted John Brown, the council's co-ordinator of the recycling scheme, said Ryedale had landed the cash to expand its recycling scheme, multi-material kerbside and green waste collections.

Ryedale, he said, is one of the leading local authorities in the country in its recycling levels. Last year's figure of 11pc of waste being recycled is expected to be increased to 14pc by the end of next month, and the Government's statutory standard figure for RDC next year is expected to be 22pc. For the year 2005-6, it will be 33pc.

Latest figures show that the 1,523 households in the Norton area which have been on the pilot scheme are now recycling some 14kg of waste each week.

"The residents are to be congratulated on the success of the scheme - they have responded well," said Mr Brown.

The council, too, had been courageous in grasping the recycling initiative, he said.

It was vital that Ryedale's recycling levels did increase, he added, because the council's landfill site at Thornton-le-Dale would be full in three years and refuse would then have to be transported to the Seamer Carr centre, which would add considerably to RDC's refuse collection and transporting costs.

More of Ryedale's 22,900 homes are due to go on to the new refuse collection and recycling system later this year.

Announcing Ryedale's funding, environment minister Elliot Morley said it was part of £40m being given to local authorities to help recycle waste.

"It brings the total awards since 2002 to councils outside London to £224m," he added.

Updated: 08:53 Wednesday, February 25, 2004