Wiltshire Council postponed the renewal process for garden waste collection until June 15 due to the pressure on council services caused by Covid-19.

Garden waste collections will continue provided the council's contractor has enough staff to maintain service delivery.

Customers who have already paid for the garden waste collection service will continue to have their garden waste collected until June 30.

Residents should continue to place their garden waste bins out with their red stickers as usual. The council will soon be in contact with details of the renewal process. Collections will continue from July 1.

Wiltshire Council CEOs, Alistair Cunningham and Terence Herbert, said: "Given the challenges we're facing due to COVID-19, we have taken the decision to defer the renewal process for our garden waste collection service for two months.

"Customers who currently pay for garden waste collections will not have to do anything the council will contact them from 15 June when details for the 2020/21 renewals process will be sent out.

"During this period, collections of garden waste will continue, provided our contractor has sufficient staff to maintain service delivery, given the risk of absence as some staff have to self-isolate.

"We'd like to reiterate the fantastic job that our waste crews are doing as they deliver this essential service in challenging circumstances, and if you want to say thank-you to our hard-working crews, thank them or wave from afar and observe social distancing at all times."

Anyone who suspects they may have symptoms of COVID-19 should put waste tissues, disposable cleaning cloths and wipes into a plastic bag and tie the bag when full.

Then they should double-bag it in a second bin bag and tie it up before storing these bags for at least 72 hours (three days) and then placing them in their normal wheeled bin.