SCOTTISH Water is encouraging customers to keep the water cycle going and help garden birds by disposing of cooking fats, oils and grease responsibly throughout the new year.

Cooking fats, oils and grease should be left to cool and placed in a suitable container like an empty milk carton and then placed in the bin or recycled if possible.

Such animal fats can smear onto birds' feathers, reducing the insulation and water-proofing.

Nationally, Scottish Water spends £7m a year responding to more than 40,000 calls about blockages in the sewer network.