CLEAN-UP schemes have been launched in two towns on Teesside.

In Hartlepool, the 600-home neighbourhood of Owton Manor is being given a clean-up, including cutting-back overgrown shrubs, removing graffiti, repainting streetlight columns and replacing missing street name plates.

Meanwhile, Stockton Borough Council has launched a clean-up of Roseworth, Norton, Newham Grange, Portrack and Tilery.

In the Hartlepool scheme, volunteers from the Owton Fens Community Association will be repainting shutters in the Wynyard Road shopping parade, where the Cleveland Police Crime Prevention Unit will also be giving advice, and truancy patrols will round up any youngsters who should be at school.

The project is part of a clean-up of Hartlepool, named Operation Clean Sweep.

A range of organisations, including health workers, Cleveland Fire Brigade and education officials have been involved in the operation.

The scheme was the idea of Hartlepool Mayor Stuart Drummond, who said: "The initiative has been hugely effective, and its first birthday is a real cause for celebration."

In Stockton, the council's enforcement unit has joined forces with Stockton Special Constabulary officers, community wardens and Norton Community Police Team for the clean-up.

During the day, a total of 15 untaxed vehicles were seized and two caravans parked on public land were issued with removal notices.

During the evening, five £50 litter fines were issued, along with fines issued to three youths related to alcohol use and dropping litter.

Two fines were issued to drunken adults late at night who dropped fast food containers in Norton High Street, and some adults were referred to the council's trading standards unit in relation to alcohol sales, where adults were purchasing alcohol for minors.

A total of 31 names were collected and passed to the council's anti-social behaviour unit relating to the actions of youths and alcohol and litter-related incidences.

Doug Carhart, head of security services for the council, said: "This was another extremely successful operation.

"This is something which clearly shows that agencies working in partnership can achieve a huge amount in helping to keep Stockton borough a clean, safer and pleasant place in which to live."