RESIDENTS preparing for the launch of an £11m visitor attraction have joined forces with the police and council to stamp out vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

Shildon police and Sedgefield Borough Council have launched the operation to clean up New Shildon.

The move comes after pleas by people in the Bouch Street, Adamson Street and All Saints area, who say they are tired of looking at smashed and boarded windows.

The streets, which are in close proximity to the new Locomotion: National Railway Museum, used to be a desirable place to live, but residents say the area has declined.

Sergeant Steve Ball, from Shildon police, said he had increased the presence of police officers in the New Shildon area.

Sedgefield Borough Council has started cleaning up the rubbish-strewn back streets.

Sgt Ball said: "If an area is littered, broken and damaged it makes it look unsafe, and we need to get past that and make it the type of place to live that it used to be."

Glyn Hall, director of neighbourhood services, said "We are bringing together our Neighbourhood Wardens, Street Scene operatives and police to jointly tackle the problems that exist in the area. We intend to use a mix of short-term initiatives targeting anti-social residents.

"Long term we will be working with private landlords to support them in dealing with the small minority of problem private sector tenants."