A COLLECTION of vintage books that were destined for the bin - one worth more than £200 - have been saved from the tip.

The collection of old books by P.G. Wodehouse, which were destined for the tip were saved by staff at Five Lanes Recycling Centre, near Caldicot.

The books, which were dropped off at the centre last year, caught the eye of colleagues who thought they may be valuable.

South Wales Argus: Monmouthshire Council Monmouthshire Council (Image: Monmouthshire Council)

The rare collection of books found at Five Lanes HRC. Picture: Monmouthshire Council 

A book collector in Tintern confirmed that it was rare to have books in their original wrappings, and one them books alone is thought to be worth over £200.

P.G. Wodehouse was an English author, and one of the most widely read humourists of the 20th Century. The author wrote more than 70 novels and 200 short stories, creating the famous characters Bertie Wooster and Jeeves.

Chris Williams, team leader at the Five Lanes centre said: ”These books were a great find. It’s good to know they have been saved, and someone will hopefully treasure them.

“Every week you have something new that comes in and you never know what you are going to get. As well as the antiques and collectables, we also have loads of everyday useful items that our customers love.”

The books are being looked after by the shops staff and will now find a new home. They will go on sale at the the Five Lanes centre soon, with profits going towards tree planting in Monmouthshire.

Roger Sealey, Operations Manager for SUEZ recycling and recovery UK - the council's contractor which runs the recycling centres - said “This is another fantastic example of the reuse of items that are destined for disposal.

“Thanks to our engaged staff and their keen curiosity we were able to rescue this extraordinary collection of classic books.

“We are constantly monitoring the waste containers and approaching site users to salvage any items but we’d urge anyone to chat to one of our colleagues on site if you are unsure of whether something can be reused.

“Even if you think it isn’t worth anything, there is a chance that it can be enjoyed by someone else and help reduce our impact on the environment”.