A "FORGOTTEN" village in east Cleveland is standing up for itself in an attempt to get regeneration cash.

Following the success of its Neighbourhood Watch and Millennium Committee, a residents' association has been set up in Carlin How.

The former mining village of 600 houses lies between Skinningrove and Brotton on the A174 coast road, but residents say they lose out when it comes to regeneration cash coming into east Cleveland.

Now villagers have set up Change - Carlin How Against Neglected General Environments. As the name suggests, the group aims to improve all aspects of village life.

It has already discussed a variety of physical and educational projects, and meetings have been well attended.

Issues such as floods, dog fouling, and the sale of houses to housing associations and private landlords, are also being tackled by the group.

Chairman Linda White said: "There is lots of funding coming into east Cleveland, and Carlin How hasn't got any of it. Things have got to change here - we have got to get together to make a noise to stop people forgetting about us.

"We want to make it a nice village - a lot of us have lived here all our lives and we are upset with the way it is changing. We have no recreational facilities, nowhere for our children to play. We just want what everyone else has got."

The scheme is having other benefits. Village people are starting to take practical and educational courses and develop their own skills thanks to schemes now being run by the Education Action Zone.

The courses are aimed at showing the villagers the options that are open to them to help them apply for cash.

Councillor George Dunning, lead member for regeneration with Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said: "I hope it is a change for the better for them. I take my hat off to them and if I can be of any help, I am willing to go and talk to them.

"We don't forget anybody, but sometimes we need reminding of people because there is so much going on."