The Leaminton Observer today reports that 56,000 of the 226,000 homes in the county have signed up to the Mailing Preference Service since the Warwickshire Waste Partnership started a campaign to make people aware that they can stop unwanted mail two years ago.

The Partnership says junk mail is not only bad for the environment, but is also costing taxpayers in the county as much as £100,000 to dispose of.

Martin Heatley, chair of the waste partnership and the County Council's environment spokesman, said: "This campaign is really making an impact. Unwanted, unread junk mail has no place in anyone's home.

"If residents are not interested in receiving it, they can easily stop it, and there are free and effective ways of getting rid of unwanted junk mail."