How thousands of items left at tip are sold on

More than 30,000 household items donated at the tip have been sold from a re-use shop in the first three months since it opened.

Renew North Tyneside said it had managed to prevent more than 70 tonnes of household goods from going to landfill.

The profits from the shop are donated to local charities and initiatives that support the environment in North Tyneside.

Volunteer Cath Allister said she had been involved for two months and the shop always had "a really friendly atmosphere".

She said: "As a recently retired person, I felt that I still had a lot of energy to give and time to volunteer.

"I've been involved with Renew for two months now and in that time I've seen customer numbers and donations increasing consistently."

Items sold at the shop are donated by residents visiting the Newcastle Quays household waste recycling centre where goods still in good condition are checked, cleaned, and repaired if needed, before being made available for resale at low cost.

Currently 16 volunteers are helping to prepare, test and repair items for resale.

Renew North Tyneside was created by North Tyneside Council and their partners at SUEZ who operate the household waste and recycling centre, and local charity North Tyneside Big Local.

North Tyneside cabinet member for environment, Willie Samuel, thanked everyone who has donated, volunteered or shopped at Renew North Tyneside so far.

"Every item reused is one less going to waste, and I hope even more residents will come along and see what they can find," he said.

Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram and listen to Radio Newcastle on BBC Sounds.