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Council bosses in Stockport have announced a one-off return of green wheelie bin collections for garden waste and food during the coronavirus lockdown.

The council said extra HGV drivers have been trained and other workers have returned to the frontline after periods of self-isolation.

But there will only be one collection.

The council said an 'ad-hoc' service would operate over the next three weeks, but green bins would not be emptied again until the lockdown ends.

Collections were first suspended on March 30, but will return on Monday. Some residents however will have to wait until May 1.

In a statement, the council said: "Following discussions with our partners, Totally Local Company, we're pleased to announce that our green bin collection will operate an ad-hoc service over the next three weeks.

"As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, our green bin collection was suspended on March 30.

"The council has continued to review its service capability on a daily basis in the expectation it can undertake an additional ad-hoc green bin collection for our residents.

"It currently has the capability to do this and it can announce that it will collect residents' green bins from Monday, April 13."

Coun Sheila Bailey, the council's cabinet member for sustainable Stockport, said: "We are able to do this because of the amazing commitment of our workforce, delivering a key service during the Covid-19 pandemic and I would like to thank them all.

"We have trained some extra HGV drivers to boost our numbers and a small number of others have returned to work after a period of self-isolation.

"Whilst we are far from full capacity, we believe we can manage a one-off collection.

"However, it is important that we keep our workforce as safe as possible during this terrible period.

"We have put in place a number of safety measures aimed at doing this; increasing social distancing, providing protective equipment and cleaning our vehicles daily.

"We also need to limit the opportunities for spreading the virus as well as being able to continue collection of the black, brown and blue bins so we will not be reinstating the green bin collection permanently for the foreseeable future."

The council said the collection would be held to make sure bins were empty of food waste.

"This will ensure that all waste food that has been put in the bins before the rounds were stopped has been collected," added a spokesman.

If your collection day is a:

• Monday then put your green bin out on Monday April 13.

• Tuesday - April 14.

• Wednesday - April 22.

• Thursday - April 23.

• Friday - May 1.

"Residents are advised to continue to put food waste in their Black Bin until further notice as we will not be emptying the Green Bins again until the lockdown is over."

Collections of black wheelie bins remain at every two weeks.

Blue bins will be collected once a month.

Stockport's three household recycling centres - in Cheadle Hulme, Bredbury and Marple - have also all closed indefinitely due to coronavirus.

The sites are operated by Greater Manchester Combined Authority, not the council.