EVERYONE loves a rotter — especially when it comes to garden waste! and residents who compost will save money, recycle up to a third of their bin waste and help their gardens grow too!

To mark this year's National Compost Week, West Devon Borough Council will be holding road shows in Okehampton and Tavistock, where experts will be on hand to answer questions about home composting and to display a variety of compost bins which will be available to purchase.

The road shows, which will be in Okehampton's main street on May 5 and Tavistock's Bedford Square on May 6, are aimed at encouraging people to start composting from home to reduce the amount of organic waste that ends up in landfill sites.

There is often a belief that waste such as vegetable peelings or garden waste is harmless, but in landfill this waste breaks down in the absence of air and creates methane, a powerful global warming gas. The same waste composted at home produces no methane and provides free fertiliser and soil improver that helps vegetable crops, shrubs and flowers to grow.

People can come along on the day, see the different compost bins available, and have questions answered by Nicky Scott, composting guru and author of many home composting reference books.

Terri Easton, waste education officer for West Devon, says: 'We want people to get the best out of their home composters so come along and speak to us for helpful hints and advice.'

The borough council will also be offering a variety of compost bins this year. Prices start from just £12, and many of the bins are made locally in Devon from recycled plastic.

The first 20 purchasers of compost bins will receive a free copy of the book 'Composting for All' by John Roulac, and there will also be the chance to win a free 220L Rotol compost bin.