A MAN due to be evicted by a council, beat the bailiffs by handing in the keys to his maisonette and moving out himself.

Middlesbrough Council had previously gone to Teesside County Court and successfully applied for an order to evict 58-year-old Allan Calvert.

A judge heard how police were called to the maisonette in the Newport area of Middlesbrough on 24 separate occasions to deal with fights, noise and criminal damage.

Mandy Walker, of the council's nuisance and harassment team said: "It draws to a close some very unsavoury events residents have had to put up with - but it also marks the success of a very positive partnership between residents and the housing service.

"We could not have secured the possession order without residents being willing to give us information about Calvert, which we were able to use in court. They played a big part in this success.''

Mr Calvert could not be contacted for comment yesterday. The court had heard he had allowed two prostitutes to stay at his home.