Each new UCLan student will be offered a tin and in return they will be encouraged to recycle and have the chance of winning a range of prizes, including a laptop computer.

The £2,600 bill for the beans will be met by European Metal Recycling (EMR).

Andrew Cutts, Preston Council's recycling communications assistant, said: "The tins are a great way of encouraging students to recycle and use the facilities at their halls, or the household recycling scheme if they're in private accommodation."

The tins are being given away at UCLan Students' Union Intro Fair on Wednesday and throughout Intro Fortnight. It marks the start of a two-year campaign to encourage UCLan students to recycle.

Rebecca Fairclough, UCLan Students' Union President, said: "Campaigns like this are a superb way of showing students how to use Preston's recycling scheme."