TWO Minehead families managed to slash the amount household waste they produce in the Slim Your Bin Challenge.

The initiative, run by the eco-charity Going for Green and West Somerset District Council, required the families to monitor their waste over a two week period.

In the first week they weighed their normal weekly rubbish but in the second week they followed the Four Rs - Reduce, Re-use, Recycle and Repair.

The Humphries family - Linda, Paul and their children Edward, aged 12, Bradley, 11, Matthew, eight and five-year-old Emily - cut their rubbish by two thirds.

While Steve and Sue Flynn and their children David, aged eight and Hannah, five, slimmed their bin by 85 per cent from 21kg to just 3kg.

Both families recycled and composted as well as sending back junk mail and refusing carrier bags if only buying one or two items.

Mrs Humphries said: "It was easy, as we do recycle a lot of things already.

"To begin with you have to think about the different bins but once you get organised, it comes easily."

Mr Flynn added: "I will definitely continue and I have converted a few people at work too."

To keep up the good work, the families will be presented with a free composter at the West Somerset Garden Centre, in Mart Road, Minehead tomorrow (Saturday).

Anya Ledwith from Going for Green said: "I am delighted that the two families have enjoyed the Slim Your Bin Challenge.

"I am extremely impressed with the results and very happy that they will continue to watch their waste in the future."

Going Green is the UK's leading environmental awareness campaign aimed at the general public.

It encourages the public to lead greener lifestyles by reducing waste, saving energy and natural resources, travelling sensibly, preventing pollution and looking after the local environment.

In Britain, enough rubbish is produced to fill Trafalgar Square to the top of Nelson's Column every day.

Going Green would like everyone in West Somerset to think about how to 'slim their bins'.