OFFENDERS have played a vital role in an initiative aimed at promoting recycling while giving a financial boost to a youth venture.

They helped collect more than a quarter of a tonne of clothing and cardboard in the Wynnstay ward, which covers part of Caia Park.

In addition to the North Wales Probation area, other partners included Wrexham County Borough Council, youngsters from The Venture centre and local residents.

They were joined by Michael, the mascot for the council’s Recycle with Michael campaign.

Council recycling officer Clair Evans said: “We are grateful to the local people for their co-operation, but lots of residents said Easter had been difficult because they had so much stuff like cardboard to get rid of.”

The Probation Service supported the project by distributing flyers detailing the event to 800 properties a week in advance.

Another team of offenders then returned to collect all the binbags.

The clothing collected was delivered to Dee-Tex, the non-profit-making business at Saltney which then pays for the materials, with funds going to The Venture, on Caia Park.