A recycling project that sells furniture to disadvantaged residents is celebrating its busiest month ever.

Staff at the Blaenavon Circulate project, run by the Garnsychan Partnership, collect old furniture, repair it and sell it on to people on benefits.

January was the busiest month for the small team, who are based on the Gilchrist Thomas estate in Blaenavon, since they started in 2002.

They sold more than £3,500 worth of furniture in January, compared with the usual monthly total of £1,000, which is a 30% increase on their previous best month.

Project manager Sassy Hicks said: "We started off on a small scale a couple of years ago in Pontypool but we have grown rapidly. January was our busiest month ever, breaking all records. It was fantastic.

"We saved seven tonnes of furniture from going into landfill, which is an amazing achievement."

But now the Circulate project, which is funded by Torfaen council, is in desperate need of more furniture to meet demand.

"We continue to grow and grow, to the point where we could urgently do with some more furniture," said Miss Hicks.

"We need sofas, tables and chairs, cupboards, wardrobes, drawers, basically any household furniture in good condition that we can sell."

Later this year the project plans to expand to selling white goods and electrical goods such as fridges, freezers, ovens and washing machines. They are also planning to make household and garden items of furniture themselves using reclaimed wood.

Miss Hicks said: "Our growth has shown there is a huge demand for the service we offer, a service which cuts down on landfill as well as helping disadvantaged people.

"We want to expand even further this spring."

To contact the project call 01495 793187.