A popular recycling scheme has been thrown on the scrap heap because essential funds have been cut.

The recycling charity Brumcan is being forced to slash its weekly door-to-door collection service offered to 22,000 inner-city homes.

For the past couple of years, Brumcan representatives have been collecting and recycling unwanted items such as glass bottles, paper, clothes and shoes from 8,000 homes in Sparkbrook and Nechells.

But from next week the householders will have to take their re-usable rubbish to recycling points around the city themselves.

The decision comes at the launch of National Big Recycle Week and a Government call to increase household recycling levels after it announced just

14.5 per cent of domestic waste was recycled in 2002/2003.

Brumcan recycling coordinator Claire Atkins said: "We collect on average twoanda-half tonnes of waste per week from these 8,000 homes, which helped the council achieve its recycling targets.

"We have got these people recycling, managed to change people's behaviour and increased the amount collected, but I don't think people will bother now.

"We are sending people leaflets this week and will stop collecting the following week."

The decision to cease collecting came after the charity ran out of £90,000 in funds.

The Sparkbrook collection service was financed through the European Regional Development Fund but this funding has not been renewed.

The Nechells collection was funded through the council's Small Heath ward but recent boundary changes has meant that 2,000 households are no longer entitled to the funds.