SIX more "safety wardens" are to be employed by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, thanks to a £224,000 Government cash boost.

The wardens cover problems from illegal street dumping to faulty street lights. With the extra wardens, there will be a total of 30 working in east Cleveland from January.

The extra cash comes from the Government's neighbourhood and street warden's programme, after a successful bid by the council.

Dave McLuckie, lead councillor for community safety, said: "The wardens will have a vital role to play in communities where the 'feel safe, be safe' factor is paramount, and they are also a very important link between local people and the council. They do an incredibly worthwhile job.

"We are absolutely delighted that this bid has been successful because it will give us greater flexibility to extend our community safety involvement in our target areas, which are Grangetown, South Bank, Kirkleatham and Coatham.

"Since we started employing community wardens there has been a phenomenal improvement in the areas that have been targeted, with a marked drop in problems like dog fouling, litter, and anti-social behaviour."

The Government's cash will cover a three-year period, and wardens will be deployed in wards which are ranked in the nation's top five per cent of deprivation