TRACY Willett's life is taking a new direction at the age of 40.

She is quitting her desk job as a clerk, to take on the role of trouble shooter, patrolling the streets of a Teesside community as the UK's first woman community safety warden.

She will have the power to hand out £25 on-the-spot fines for litter dropping and dog fouling, and to direct council services to make repairs, and to put right vandalism.

Ms Willett will join fellow warden Ian Willis in keeping an eye on the suburb of Teesville.

Mike Hardman, the council's assistant director for direct works, said: "We were very impressed with Tracy and are sure she'll do an excellent job.''

Ms Willett said: "I'm really looking forward to getting out in the community and meeting people. I hope I can be a lead to other women to join the scheme, too.''

Wardens have already been put on the streets of Eston, Brotton and Normanby, and Teesville is the fourth and final pilot area before the scheme goes borough-wide in April