A TROUBLED estate is to receive a makeover next week as a multi-agency taskforce moves in to clean-up the area and provide entertainment for youngsters.

Operation Bowl - Blitz On Wilton Lane - will see five days of maintenance on the Guisborough estate, which has been blighted by problems with gangs of youths drinking, taking drugs and riding off-road motorbikes in residents' gardens.

The operation, which starts on Monday, will be run along similar lines to the joint operation in Redcar's troubled Burnmoor and Blayberry Close areas, which was carried out earlier this year.

The co-ordinated action will include graffiti removal, street cleaning, housing repairs, the installation of dog bins and litter bins, free dog microchipping, and grounds maintenance.

There will also be a series of advice surgeries, with help on money and debt issues, welfare, housing, council tax and consumer issues, along with home fire safety checks and crime prevention tips.

The Youth Inclusion Project will be offering activities including African drumming, DJ-ing, circus skills and break dancing, while SureStart will have storytelling and a toy library promotion.

The operation will involve Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Coast and Country Housing, Cleveland Police, Cleveland Fire Brigade, Liberata and McAlpines.

The council's coalition cabinet member for environmental improvement, Councillor Bob Stanway, said: "A terrific amount of hard work and preparation has gone into planning for this week and I am sure residents will get the benefits."