A shop re-selling items that have been thrown away at Suffolk's recycling centres has reopened at the tip near Ipswich.

The Re-use Shop had been temporarily relocated from Foxhall Recycling Centre as part of a £7.8million refurbishment of the site.

But it is now back open at Foxhall with a new design that makes it more accessible for customers.

It has dedicated customer parking and more outside space, along with a canopy.

The Re-use Shop moved to the Ancient House in Butter Market in Ipswich town centre in late January as work got underway on preparing the new store within the recycling centre.

Ipswich Star: Paul Smith of FCC, left, Councillor Richard Smith and Paul Sinclair of The Benjamin Foundation cut the ribbonPaul Smith of FCC, left, Councillor Richard Smith and Paul Sinclair of The Benjamin Foundation cut the ribbon (Image: Suffolk County Council)

The shop sells furniture, sports equipment, kitchen supplies, books, toys, and bric-a-brac that has been collected at the 11 recycling centres across Suffolk and would otherwise have been disposed of as waste.

Its average footfall was 1,500 a month and since the shop first opened in 2016 it has sold a total of 343,721 items, equivalent to 2,429 tonnes of material.

A sister shop is open at the recycling centre in Bury St Edmunds.

Richard Smith, Suffolk County Council cabinet member for economic development, transport strategy and waste, said: "The Re-use shop will be a centrepiece of the new-look Foxhall recycling centre and I am very pleased to see it re-opening.

"It is an excellent place to find a bargain, help a very worthy cause and also play a part in the fight against waste.

"We are keen to encourage reuse and avoid waste, and by purchasing items from the Re-use Shop you not only extend the life and use of something instead of throwing it away, you support a local charity undertaking important work throughout Suffolk."