CRIMEFIGHTING youngsters from Langbaurgh will receive an early Christmas present today after winning a competition organised by the police.

Junior schools from across the district were invited to design a card with a message of "please look after our school", which would be delivered to homes around the buildings.

The best six are to receive a gift voucher for their winning designs from Cleveland Police's District Commander Chief Superintendent Adrian Roberts.

Hundreds of entries were submitted and crime prevention officer PC Steve Drabik said the response had been tremendous with scores of colourful designs.

He said: "It is very encouraging that the children and the schools had taken the time to come up with so many wonderful designs, it has been a very difficult task picking."

Police community support officers will be delivering the Christmas cards to resi- dents before the school term ends.

PC Drabik said: "The cards are designed to make people aware that school premises can be vulnerable during school holiday periods and particularly on dark nights."

PC Drabik said it was in everyone's interest to keep an eye on schools as valuable classroom equipment costs hundreds of thousands of pounds to replace.