GARDENING enthusiasts will be able to get their hands on some free compost as part of Ealing Council’s annual giveaway in Walpole Park on Saturday, May 16.

It runs from 8.30am-4pm or until the 20 tons of free compost is all gone. The giveaway comes at the end of Compost Awareness Week.

Residents are asked to come with their own bags, containers and shovels as the compost will be loose.

There will be a restriction on the quantity that can be taken by each person - approx 100 litres. It is advised to arrive early to get a share.

The compost is made from recycled food and garden waste collected from homes across west London.

Staff from the council’s recycling team and West London Waste Authority, which is responsible for disposing of the waste collected by six London boroughs, including Ealing, will also be on hand with advice on composting.

Residents will need to park and enter on foot using the Mattock Lane entrance and should check local parking restrictions when they arrive.

Keith Townsend, executive director of environment, said: “Using compost in your garden is a cheap and environmentally friendly way to give your plants the nutrients they need.

“If you’d like to start making your own compost there are reduced prices on compost bins.”

Compost can easily be made at home using garden waste, as well as everyday waste items such as peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds, filter paper and scrunched-up newspaper and cardboard.