DUMPED cars that blight the region's neighbourhoods and countryside will be moved free of charge for the next fortnight.

Sixteen councils in the North-East and North Yorkshire have signed up to an amnesty launched by Keep Britain Tidy to clear up the rusting messes.

The authorities will waive their usual charge of up to £100 to move the vehicles, while posters at garages will publicise the service.

The two-week amnesty was set up after research showed that some councils were spending more than £80,000 a year removing abandoned vehicles.

Wear Valley District Council removes up to 15 a month, and hopes the amnesty will make a difference.

Community services enforcement officer Debbie Hibbitts said: "We are delighted to be participating, and we are dedicated to helping to clean up the district of all refuse and waste."

Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Alan Woods said: ''Apart from costing taxpayers £24m a year to move, any old motor left lying around is likely to be vandalised or torched.

''We have even had cases where they have been used for drug dealing and prostitution.

"We already have 1.5 million cases of criminal damage against cars each year, and over one million fires and false alarms. For every second a vehicle is lingering on our streets, those figures will spiral.

''The situation at the moment just isn't acceptable''

The councils taking part include Darlington, Easington, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Scarborough, Sedgefield, Stockton, Teesdale and Wear Valley. Hartlepool has run its own free removal service for 18 months.

A spokesman for Hartlepool Borough Council said: "Our environmental action team has offered this service now for 18 months, and it has proved very successful in removing unwanted vehicles. It is part of our ongoing campaign to make Hartlepool a cleaner, more attractive place."

Anyone who wants their car towed away or sees a dumped vehicle that needs to be moved is asked to call their council.