Almost 500 police officers took part in a huge blitz on known criminals across Teesside this morning.

Called Operation Sabre, it was the biggest operation ever carried out in the Cleveland force area and targeted wanted offenders in crime hot spots.

Operation Sabre will last four days and target known drug criminals, car thieves and burglars.

Cleveland Chief Constable Sean Price has pledged to maintain the pressure on known offenders in an effort to cut crime.

Some of the arrested will being fast-tracked through the courts.

Mobile prison buses were drafted in to expand cell capacity.

Raids began at 0800 BST on Wednesday with high visibility patrols, before officers moved in to target streets in Middlesbrough.