A GET tough campaign is being launched in Redcar High Street on Saturday - and it could cost shoppers up to £50,000!

The cost of collecting litter every day from the High Street and promenade is becoming a serious cause for concern for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.

For the next two Saturdays, police officers and litter wardens will be patrolling the streets armed with £25 fixed penalty fines.

On a normal morning, 2,000 items of rubbish are found in Redcar in litter bins and on the streets and if each of these items resulted in a £25 fine it could mean an extra £50,000 for the council.

The council and the police will be issuing guidance to the public and warning that prosecutions could follow using evidence from the town's CCTV cameras.

Coun Sylvia Szintai, the council's Lead Member for Environment and Infrastructure, said: "We're not happy with the state of Redcar High Street, but we can't provide a complete cure.

"We are looking at our shift patterns for cleansing staff, but it's the public who must accept a share of the responsibility. We're not sure whether they realise it is an offence to drop litter, but we hope these two Saturday sessions will alert them to that fact."

Sgt Nigel McCartney, from Cleveland Police, is in charge of Redcar's local bobbies on the beat, and said the police supported the council's initiative.

"Of course, we'd prefer educate people, rather than prosecute, but we must make sure that the message is understood - it's a criminal offence to drop litter."