A NUMBER of organisations have joined forces in South Bank, near Middlesbrough, for a one-day clean-up.

It is hoped that today's event will make the area safer for residents.

Taking part will be representatives of the fire brigade, police, community wardens, Coast and Country Housing and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.

Cleveland Police will provide a high-profile presence in the area.

The wardens will report rubbish for collection.

Coast and Country housing workers will provide a number of rapid-response vehicles to remove rubbish.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council employees will remove rubbish as well as boarding up unoccupied properties and removing graffiti.

Cleveland Fire Brigade will carry out home fire safety checks between 10.30am and 4.30pm.

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

"We are hoping this will be the first of many for this kind of initiative to clean up other areas of need. All the partners will be meeting outside of the SRB office in Victoria Street, in South Bank, and we have invited local councillors down to see what we are going to be doing."