EASTLEIGH'S Crestwood Community School is hoping to turn trash into cash with the help of local residents and companies.

The school is keen to get its hands on office materials that normally end up in the bin - old mobile phones, toner and printer cartridges - in a bid to boost school funds and get a slice of the millions of pounds which are literally thrown away each year.

Crestwood has teamed up with recycling company Eurosource in a new scheme dubbed Sprints - Schools Participating in Recyling Initiative and New Technology Scheme - that will help the school get access to free educational, sports, music and recreational equipment.

Every time someone donates an old mobile phone or cartridge, the school will gain points which can be exchanged for equipment of Crestwood's choice.

Head teacher Phil Munday said: "Throwing away an old mobile phone or printer cartridge is not very environmentally-friendly.

"Mobiles contain cadmium, a dangerous and highly toxic substance. Once dumped in landfill sites the phone casing corrodes and the cadmium leaks into the soil."

And he added: "Only five per cent of printer cartridges are recycled. The rest, worth approximately £57m are buried in landfill sites. They could be helping our school to access valuable equipment."

The headteacher said it took more than 1.5 pints of oil to make a new toner cartridge and it was estimated that printer cartridges worth around £500m were dumped in the last decade.

Now, local people are being asked to collect unwanted mobile phones, chargers and phone batteries plus used printer inkjet and toner cartridges from friends, relatives and neighbours - and also from their workplace.

Crestwood says the items can be dropped off at the school during school hours.