The Environment minister has urged Britain's first council planning on stopping recycling mixed plastic to change its mind, it can be revealed.

Last month Swindon Borough Council sparked fears that UK recycling is going into reverse, as it announced plans to tell households to put mixed plastic items, such as yogurt pots and plastic trays, in the bin with regular waste.

Council bosses said they wanted to stop collecting so-called "low grade" plastic because it often ends up in landfill or being illegally dumped instead of being recycled.

Now Therese Coffey MP has written to Swindon council urging it to continue kerbside collections, suggesting instead that it simply tell households that their efforts to sort and clean plastic may be a waste of time because it may never be recycled.

She said: "Clear communications are essential and while I understand your concerns about the uncertainty of what happens to recycling once exported, this would suggest the need for clearer communications about the end destination of exported plastics, rather than stopping certain kerbside collections completely."