WARDENS aimed at stamping out neighbourhood nuisances will soon be taking to North-East streets.

The region has secured a large slice of cash earmarked for the Government's new Street Wardens programme.

The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions has announced that 81 wardens will be established in a range of schemes throughout the North-East.

More than £2m from the Street Wardens programme will come to the region in the 12 different schemes.

The programme is designed to provide a friendly face on local streets to tackle neighbourhood problems, such as graffiti, abandoned cars and litter.

Alan Brown, crime reduction coordinator for the North-East, said the region's bids had been well received.

"We've got 12 schemes out of 100 nationally, so it shows that the level of bids submitted to the Government were a very high standard," said Mr Brown.

"People in the region can feel safer and that's part of the big effort, not just to reduce crime, but to make people feel more secure.

"These wardens, working alongside the extended police family, is what it's all about. We're just trying to raise the profile of uniformed people who the community can talk to.

"It could be something as simple as telling them a street light needs fixing and them getting someone to come out and replace the bulb."

The idea of community policing was pioneered in Prime Minister Tony Blair's County Durham constituency.

Sedgefield Borough Council's Community Force,which was launched in 1993, was the first council-run security force in the country, and has proved a great success.

The role of the new street wardens will vary, according to local needs.

They are expected to improve the physical appearance of streets and open spaces, deter yobbish behaviour, reduce low-level crime and the fear of crime, and encourage communities to work together to improve their local environments.

Stockton Borough Council was one of the successful bidders, securing more than £200,000 to recruit an extra eight wardens who will cover the town centre area.

Doug Carhart, head of security service at Stockton council, said he was delighted.

"We will start training the new wardens in early January, and they will be on the streets by mid-February," he said.

"The eight new wardens will complement existing wardens, who have been working in Thornaby and Hardwick since April and have had a considerable impact on reducing public order.

"Their presence helps reduce the fear of crime among the public."