THE New Year is here, and Christmas trees across Hampshire are coming down.

With the festive period at an end, thousands of people will be looking to get rid of their trees, so we are letting you know how to recycle your tree in each area of Hampshire.

Most recycled trees are composted to create Pro-Grow, an organic soil conditioner created within Hampshire through the Project Integra initiative.

All trees should be taken out of pots and have any decorations removed.

Southampton: Trees will be collected from Monday through to January 15, inclusive. Anyone wanting their tree to be picked up should leave it at the edge of their property boundary on their rubbish collection day (remember there is a revised timetable following the festive period). Due to the high volume of waste the council says trees may not necessarily be collected at the same time as rubbish, but residents should leave them out and they will be collected.

New Forest: Eight drop-off points for recycling trees will be set up between January 2 and 10 for residents to take trees to. They are: Brookley Road car park in Brockenhurst; A338 slip road car park in Fordingbridge; New Road car park in Hythe; St Thomas Street car park in Lymington; Village centre car park in Lyndhurst; Crossmead Avenue car park in New Milton; The Furlong car park in Ringwood; and the Westfield car park in Totton.

Eastleigh: Recycling points will take trees from January 4 to 18, while residents who subscribe to the borough council's garden waste scheme can have trees under four feet tall collected from home addresses on scheduled collection days, when they should be placed next to garden waste bins. There will be recycling points at: Brambridge Garden Centre; Lakeside Country Park; Haskins Garden Centre, West End; Arturi's Garden Centre, Fair Oak; Woodhouse Lane car park, Hedge End; Mortimer Road car park, Botley; Hound Parish Hall, Woolston Road, Netley.

Test Valley: Trees can be taken to one of the council's temporary disposal sites, local household waste recycling centres, or residents paying for the garden waste collection service can put it out for collection with garden waste.

Winchester: Trees will be collected alongside garden waste. Residents should place trees by refuse bins on scheduled collection days between January 11 and 18.

Fareham: Christmas trees will be collected and residents can put them out with garden waste. Only one tree can be collected per property and they should have a maximum trunk diameter of 10cm.