WASTE collections will be suspended on Monday, September 19, which has been designated as a national bank holiday for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

Collections of recycling, rubbish, or garden waste will take place a day later than scheduled for the rest of the week.

This means collections scheduled for Friday, September 23 will take place on Saturday, September 24.

Somerset's 16 recycling sites will also close on September 19, including those that would usually open on a Monday.

A spokesperson for the Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) said: “Waste collections and recycling site opening will be suspended on Monday, September 19, the day of Her Majesty The Queen’s funeral.

“All collections – of recycling, rubbish or garden waste – will take place a day later than scheduled for the rest of the week, as is usual practice for a bank holiday week.

“Collections scheduled for Friday, September 23 will take place on Saturday, September 24.

“Available crews will do their very best to complete all rounds on the Saturday.

“Any refuse or garden waste collections missed will be returned for as soon as possible.

“Any missed recycling will be returned for on Friday 30 September.

“As an unplanned bank holiday, this change to the usual pattern is not be reflected in the printed collection days calendars.

“However, the ‘My Collection Day’ online calendar at somersetwaste.gov.uk will show the one-day-later pick-ups.

“Please make sure your boxes, bags and bins are presented on the correct collection day, or the night before.”

Members of the public have left floral tributes at churches and other sites in Somerset towns in memory of the Queen. 

The SWP has asked the public to “heed the environmental advice when leaving tributes”.

Chard & Ilminster News: Floral tributes outside St Mary's Church in Bridgwater. Picture: Tom LeamanFloral tributes outside St Mary's Church in Bridgwater. Picture: Tom Leaman (Image: Tom Leaman)

The spokesperson added: “If laying floral tributes, please remove all plastic wrapping and decoration to ensure that the flowers and foliage can be composted once the period of mourning has finished. 

“Please also avoid non-recyclable plastic tributes.”

The UK Government announced that the date of the Queen's funeral will be a bank holiday on Saturday, September 10.

The government's announcement said: “This will allow individuals, businesses and other organisations to pay their respects to Her Majesty and commemorate her reign, while marking the final day of the period of national mourning.

“This bank holiday will operate in the same way as other bank holidays, and there is no statutory entitlement to time off.

“Employers may include bank holidays as part of a worker’s leave entitlement.”

Read more: Hospitals update patients on Queen's funeral bank holiday appointments 

Read more: Planned railway works in Somerset postponed for national mourning