Would you have the bottle to wear this fleece?

Yes - says our recycling champion Maura Thomas of Diss.

And that's because the fleece she is wearing is made out of 25 recycled plastic bottles.

Made by a famous brand name, it retails at just under £60, and Maura won it after entering a competition organised by South Norfolk Council's recycling team when they came to Diss.

Said Maura:

"I was on my way into Diss for some shopping, saw the council's recycling trailer by the Post Office, and thought I would ask them some questions about my own recycling. It was Recycling Ricky who caught really my eye."

They asked me if I wanted to enter their competition for a fleece made out of 25 recycled plastic bottles. I thought what an amazing thing, so I did. Now I have won it is it unbelievable to see - wonderful."

She added:

"The truth is I can't abide waste, can't stand to waste things. I can't bear to see litter. If something can be put to good use, I won't throw it away, I'll reuse it."

This week, South Norfolk Environment Officer Alexandra Bone visited Maura and her husband Eric to present her with the new blue fleece. She asked Maura for the secret of recycling success:

"You have to get into a routine. Everybody has to do their bit," she said.

Maura and Eric have just received their green recycling bin and grey rubbish bins from the council. But they also have two compost bins in the garden. Maura also recycles her glass bottles and some of her jars - she likes to keep some for her homemade jam.

Alex said:

"The facts are that we're running out of holes in the ground where we can throw our rubbish. We have to start recycling or reusing everything we can now, and we have to cut down dramatically on the stuff we throw away in our grey bins.

"It is no exaggeration, but our future depends on people like Maura and Eric - we need more of them."

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