* Celebrity 'talking bins' may come to London

First there were wheelie bins, now there are ‘talking bins’ - and they may be coming to London to help keep the streets clean. Finland is experimenting with public litter bins with recordings of celebrity voices to thank people for using them. A detector in the bin will activate a loudspeaker every time rubbish is deposited and the celebrity voice recording will say: “It’s great that you care about the city. Cool isn’t it?”

A spokeswoman for the Mayor of London said: “With the first meeting of the London Waste and Recycling Board taking place next month we are entering a new and positive era that will address how the capital tackles its rubbish. Boosting London's recycling rate is a key priority for the Mayor and he is pleased to see innovative schemes that will encourage Londoners to recycle their rubbish. The 'talking bins’ that are being trialled in Helsinki are a great example of the type of initiatives that could be used in London and drive-up the capital’s recycling rate.”

A London Councils spokesman said: “I think it will help encourage people to keep the streets cleaner and greener. If it proves to be successful London boroughs may take it up as well.”