EIGHT people were arrested and illegal substances seized in a police raid prompted by intelligence from the local community.

Police officers raided six houses in Wilton Avenue, Broadway West and Howecroft Avenue, in Dormanstown, near Redcar, at 10.15am yesterday during Operation Rockhopper.

The officers seized amphetamines and cannabis from three addresses.

The simultaneous strike on six houses involved 45 police officers, air support from the police helicopter and sniffer dogs.

While police officers surronded the properties, the helicopter hovered overhead in case any suspects tried to escape.

Four men and four women were arrested following the raids. One of the men was arrested in a car in the area on suspicion of being in possession of an offensive weapon.

The raid marked the three-month anniversary of the dealer-a-day crackdown, which is being carried out across east Cleveland.

Chief Superintendent Adrian Roberts, district commander of Langbaurgh police, said he thought the raid had gone well.

"The intelligence for the raid came from people in the borough.

"We'll just have to see if we strike lucky in terms of what the community has said are here.

"Whatever the outcome today, we know we are not going to completely eradicate drug dealing in the area, but I would urge members of the public to get in touch with us if they know about drug dealing.

"If you keep telling us, we'll keep doing it."