FIRE chiefs took time out to help a community with a one-day clean-up operation.

Officers joined forces with Cleveland Police and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council to tidy the streets of South Bank, Middlesbrough, yesterday.

Aimed at making the area safer for residents, Cleveland Police watched over the operation leading up to and following the day of action.

Community safety officers patrolled the streets and reported any rubbish for collection to Coast and Country Housing, who then provided a number of rapid response vehicles to remove litter.

The council also helped rid the streets of rubbish as well as boarding up unoccupied properties, and cleaned away graffiti.

Cleveland Fire Brigade carried out door-to-door Home Fire Safety Checks between 10.30am and 4.30pm. The rest of the team worked from 7am until 9pm.

Tony Churchill, station manager at Grangetown who organised the day, said: "This is a very ambitious one-day initiative but it will make a lot of difference.

"We are hoping this will be the first of many for this kind of initiative to clean up other areas of need."