A huge festive display has been unveiled - and all of it was destined for the rubbish bin.

It might sound strange but fans of Christmas who are in search of a winter wonderland could do a lot worse than to visit KCC’s household waste recycling centre (HWRC) in Tovil near Maidstone.

In an impressive example of the popular mantra “reduce, reuse, recycle”, staff at the Tovil HWRC in Burial Ground Lane have created their own seasonal spectacular.

Drivers queuing up to tip their garden and domestic waste are greeted first with Santa’s train, two polar bears and a couple of Santas and then with an array of decorations that seem to go on forever.

The centre was threatened with closure this time last year as KCC sought to make a series of budget savings.

There was an active campaign to save it, with a petition garnering more than 600 signatures.

But following a change of heart by KCC, Tovil and the other Kent tips have been given a reprieve - making for a much merrier Christmas this year.

All the decorations have been recovered from the “rubbish” by the centre’s staff after previous Christmas celebrations, which perhaps suggests what a wasteful time of year this can be.