STREET wardens have been granted extra powers to hand out £50 fines for anti-social behaviour.

Neighbourhood Patrol Officers on Wearside can now hand out on-the-spot fixed penalty notices, for crimes such as littering, graffiti or dog fouling.

The City of Sunderland Council introduced the officers as a pilot project in August last year, to tackle dog fouling in problem areas including Houghton-le-Spring and parts of Washington.

The scheme has proved so successful that the authority has extended it to cover offences such as vandalism, which blight the lives of residents.

The scheme was due to end in summer, but extra funding has been found to keep the pilot going until August next year.

Since the scheme began, complaints to the council about dog owners failing to clean up after their animals have doubled. The authority has also installed 50 additional dog mess bins.

Norma Johnston, the council's assistant head of environmental services, said: "Since their introduction, there has been a marked increase in both public awareness about clearing up dog mess and in the number of prosecutions brought against owners.

"We have made inroads, but accept that there is still some way to go before everyone gets the message."