EMPTY houses on the Grove Hill estate in Middlesbrough are being spruced up in a bid to deter criminal activity.
The council's Streetscene service has teamed up with the probation service to tidy up the mess surrounding the 50 unoccupied homes.
They will clear rubbish from the gardens, strim weeds, remove graffiti, and repaint street furniture and empty property shutters.
Council officers work closely with the police and fire service and intelligence gathered has shown that an untidy and neglected public environment can attract unwanted anti-social and criminal activity.
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