A MAJOR blitz on crime and environmental problems which have blighted a housing estate has been hailed a success.

Council litter-pickers joined a horticultural team and anti-graffiti squad to clean up the Burbank area of Hartlepool.

The results of Operation Clean Sweep, a week-long campaign launched by mayor Stuart Drummond last Monday, were revealed last night by civic leaders.

Thirteen untaxed cars were removed and locked in a compound in Middlesbrough, where they will be held until owners pay up to £360 or they will be crushed.

Almost 200 lamp columns were painted and checked over the five days, and 50 street name plates which had been defaced or stolen were replaced.

Other work included:

* the equivalent of 90sq metres of potholes filled in;

* fifty pedestrian barriers painted;

* the equivalent of 30sq metres of footpath repaired or replaced;

* six stray dogs rounded up by council wardens;

* rubbish removed from gardens and yards of 63 properties;

* thirteen dropped kerbs installed;

* six shrub beds removed and a number of others pruned.

Mr Drummond said: "Operation Clean Sweep went really well and the residents who live in the Burbank area are over the moon with the improvement.

"It goes to show that focusing on one area over a short period of time can make a big impact.

"It certainly made a difference and I think it is important now that everyone works together, including residents, to maintain the appearance of the estate."

A council spokesman said: "We have done it to try to make an impact and improve the estate, and hopefully people will keep it like that."

The blitz will move to a different area each month until the whole town has been cleaned.

People living in Burbank, which is home to more than 500 families, were also given fire safety and crime prevention advice, while a microchipping session was held for dog-owners.

The clean-up was launched after a similar successful project was started by Mayor Ray Mallon in neighbouring Middlesbrough.

As part of his Raising Hope initiative, Mayor Mallon brought in "hot spot" crews to clean up problem areas.