A BINGO challenge is being offered to Sandwell householders in a bid to boost the amount of food recycling.

Residents can win up to £1,000 if they complete a unique bingo card using numbers left on their food recycling caddies.

Funding is coming from the Government in a bid to significantly drive up the borough’s food waste recycling rates from the current 5,000 tonnes per year Anyone who puts their brown food waste caddy out on their usual collection day will have it returned with a BINgo number attached from September 29.

The incentive will run for 12 weeks and anyone who marks off a full line of five numbers going across their BINgo card is in with a chance of winning a prize.

The first 20 Sandwell residents to call the claim line and submit a fully completed BINgo card will each win a £1,000 jackpot.

The first 25 line winners will each get 12-month gym membership for Sandwell Leisure Centres and the following 500 line winners will get a roll of compostable food waste liners.

Deputy council leader Councillor Steve Eling said: “We need to get more people to recycle and we’ve taken the view that it is better to offer an incentive rather than be punitive on residents who don’t separate their waste and recycle.”