A DREAM has come true for a four-year-old with a fascination for cleaning up rubbish.

Joe Elstob, from Stockton, gets very annoyed when he notices any litter outside his home and often takes the trouble to pick it up and put it in a bin himself, under the watchful eye of mother, Chris Elstob.

He is fascinated by the daily visits by cleansing squads which sweep the streets of his estate, and eagerly awaits the weekly visits of the refuse collection vehicle.

As well as being captivated by the style and location of litterbins wherever he goes, Joe is also a firm believer in re- cycling as much as possible of the family's household waste.

Now, Joe's keen sense of civic responsibility has been rewarded by Stockton Borough Council, which arranged for him to visit its depot in Billingham to take a ride in a refuse collection lorry and see at close hand other street cleansing machines and equipment.

Mrs Elstob said that Joe's hobby had now become part of the family's routine.

She said: "If there is rubbish to be put in the bin, it has to be saved for Joe to do the job. That is after anything that can be recycled is put to one side first."

Councillor Geoff Field presented Joe with a number of rubbish related gifts, including a T-shirt with a refuse wagon logo, a mini-wheeled bin and his very own litter picking stick.

Sue Barker, the council's litter education officer said: "For someone so young, Joe sets and excellent example in how to care for his area."