A TRANSFORMATION has been taking place in a County Durham village.

In one of the latest drives to improve the quality of life on housing estates in Sacriston, near Chester-le-Street, dozens of children and their parents cleared tonnes of rubbish away over two days.

The Womble Days were part of Durham Constabulary's Streetsafe initiative, which has brought together a range of agencies to tackle anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, low-level crime and vandalism in the area.

Chester-le-Street District Council's public participation officer, Allyson Holmes, said: "The clean-up has made an unbelievable difference for residents of the estates."

Ms Holmes said eight skiploads of waste, ranging from household goods to old toys, had been removed by the council.

The Streetsafe initiative, which also involves the fire and rescue service, Durham County Council, the DVLA, the Youth Engagement Service and schools, will run until the end of March.

Part of the effort is a series of police moves against alleged criminals.

Community Inspector Paul Anderson said a week of action, with raids on several houses following tip-offs, had led to two people being arrested in connection with drugs offences.

Police recovered stolen goods and investigations are continuing.

Working alongside officers of the DVLA, police officers also impounded 20 vehicles, which were either untaxed or were not insured.

And the shopping area of Sacriston has been designated a truancy-free zone.

As part of Darlington and Durham fire brigade's contribution, staff held safety checks at homes, aimed at fitting smoke alarms with ten-year batteries.

The district council is spending £100,000 upgrading Front Street and the county council is setting aside £45,000 for new street lighting.

A community house has already been set up on Lingey Close, while the district council is making a property available for another community house.

Organisers are preparing for a fun day at Sacriston Community Centre on March 23 to mark the end of the campaign on March 31.