LITTER louts have been fined in a crackdown on anti-social behaviour in Stockton.

Twenty youths have been given £50 fixed penalty notices in the area.

Stockton police and borough council enforcement officers joined forces to enforce the crackdown.

The names of those fined have been passed on to the council's anti-social behaviour team.

Officers targeted known problem locations. Fines were issued at Billingham Beck Ecology Park and the Esso petrol station; in Stockton, at Green Lane, Redhill Road, Hardwick Road, Upsall Grove and Hallifield Street/Albany Road cycleway.

Councillor Steve Nelson, Stockton council's cabinet member for the environment, said: "We are proud of the work we do concerning waste and litter education and have made recycling facilities available.

"However, we said we would get tough on those people who show disregard for their community by littering the area.

"We will continue to work with the police to target this type of anti-social behaviour across the whole of the borough."