GARDEN waste collections in Blaenavon are to be extended as a “goodwill gesture” after the service was suspended at the end of August.

It is also hoped to introduce a weekly cardboard collection.

Torfaen Borough Council said it had to halt garden waste collections for two weeks, from August 29, so it could use vehicles to collect cardboard and food waste instead as it struggled to manage an ageing fleet.

Eight refuse trucks to collect food waste and cardboard separately across the borough have now been hired and the council is also taking on three HGV drivers and six ‘bin men’ from an agency to improve the service at a cost of more than £350,000 this year.

Garden waste collections, which normally run from March to October 31, will now be extended to December 2 this year.