Norwich-based Norse has taken over the running of Norfolk's 19 household recycling centres after successfully securing a £50m county council contract.

The 10-year deal sees the firm take over the running of the facilities from May Gurney which lost the contract last time around.

Norfolk's recycling operations are now worth about £16m a year to the EDPTop 100 firm providing work for more than 200 people.

And it comes as Norse is seeking to secure its presence in the local recycling sector after unveiling a 10-year expansion plan of its Longwater facility in Costessey, set to start in October.

Under the latest deal about 110 staff have transferred to Norse under TUPE regulations. The company has also created an engineering apprenticeship at the MRF site.

David Newell, pictured, operations director of Norse Environmental Waste Solutions, the subsidiary firm which is delivering the contracts.

'This new agreement brings the various facilities and processes around the county together,' he said. 'It is a great example of a joined-up approach that will help keep Norfolk amongst the leading recycling counties in the country, which of course is very good news for local residents and taxpayers.'

The household recycling centres handle a wide range of materials, from household batteries and electrical items to cardboard, garden waste and brick rubble. Some of the materials go to the Norse MRF and to the company's composting facility at Marsham in Norfolk.