Recycling centres in Angus have been saved after councillors rejected planned closures in the face of community opposition.

Angus councillors voted not to close Carnoustie and Brechin recycling centres but Monifieth was axed.

The three centres were to be shut in an effort to cut costs of £246,500 but councillors voted to overrule the recommendations and instead approved reduced hours of operation for the saved centres.

Protests had taken place at the under threat centres last week.

Laura-May Kennedy, who set up the Save Angus Recycling Centres Facebook page, said the public outcry over the loss of the centres has been "really loud".

She said: "They serve the whole community. Each town in Angus has one.

"They are well used and people are genuinely upset that they are going to lose them and they are going to have to travel to Arbroath, Forfar or Montrose to go to the recycling centre.

"They understand that councils have budgetary pressures but these are often at the heart of the local communities so they don't want to see them go."

Planned investments totalling £365,000 are still to be made to the facilities at Arbroath and Montrose.

The council also voted to approve a new recycling centre to serve Forfar and Kirriemuir, although a suitable location has yet to be identified.

Both centres at Forfar and Kirriemuir are to be closed on completion of the new joint facility.

Angus Council communities committee convener Donald Morrison said he and colleagues had to make "extremely tough decisions in ensuring non-ring-fenced frontline services can continue to be delivered as much as possible and where possible".

He added: "This council has already agreed to take the year-on-year saving of £250,000 at our budget in February and the effect of this is stark and shows the reality of austerity beginning to bite and bite hard on local government, with a further near £40m package of savings needed to be found in the next 4 years."

Angus Council also approved entering into an agreement with Dundee City Council to share its Baldovie site as a replacement for the Monifieth centre.