A social enterprise with a handful of staff is taking on recycling giant Sita in a ‘David and Goliath’ contest being played out on the streets of Calderdale.

It was expected the not-for-profit Kerbside would be forced to close when Sita was awarded a blanket recycling collection contract by the West Yorkshire council, with its 20 employees being offered jobs with the French company.

But employment terms could not be agreed and this week, 25,000 homes which Kerbside has regularly collected from will have to choose between Kerbside and Sita as the social enterprise, which employs disadvantaged adults, refuses to stop its collections and goes into direct competition.

Kerbside is hoping Sita will re-start negotiations over taking on Kerbside staff.