COUNCIL workers, firefighters, community wardens and members of the public took part in a town clean-up operation yesterday.

Litter louts were fined and residents warned that dumped vehicles would be towed away from the Parkfield and Mill Lane areas of Stockton.

A primary aim of the Caretaker Day was to work with the public to reduce the number of arson attacks in the area.

Stockton Borough Council's enforcement unit organised the event following an increase in rubbish being dumped and nuisance fires.

Home fire safety checks were made and the public were encouraged to report offences to help prevent future arson and rubbish dumping problems.

In 2002, Stockton's Parkfield and Mill Lane became one of 20 areas in the UK to be chosen as a Neighbourhood Pathfinder.

That has led to the community being actively involved in making decisions about their estates.

The aims of the programme over its nine-year lifespan are to achieve increased house prices, reduced unemployment levels, reduced crime levels, improved recreational facilities and cleaner streets.

"This is all part of a long-term and award-winning project to improve these areas in which the people of the area themselves take the lead," said a spokesman for the neighbourhood pathfinder group.