POLICE seized drugs with a street value of more than £1,000 after a raid on a house in Grangetown. Twenty officers, including an armed response unit, carried out the raid at the property, in Eastcroft Road, at 8am on Friday.

Three people were arrested on suspicion of supplying controlled drugs. Heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis were seized, plus suspected stolen goods. The suspects were later released on police bail pending the results of forensic tests. Detective Superintendent Tom Stoddard, of Langbaurgh police, said: "With the continued support of the public and the courts we will persist in the apprehension of these offenders and take appropriate action." Anyone with information about drugs in the Langbaurgh area can call a free confidential hotline on 0800 092 9702.

Health initiative: A drive is under way to improve the health of residents in Hartlepool through a range of complementary therapies. Hartlepool Mind, with backing from the town's New Deal for Communities (NDC) programme, is running free courses for NDC residents aged 18 and over in Indian head massage, aromatherapy and homeopathy during the next few weeks. It is intended to follow these up with further sessions on aromatherapy and crystal healing in the near future. Anyone interested in attending one of the courses can contact Denise Scott on (01429) 269303.

KIDS' CUP: Football fans are invited to cheer on children from primary schools in Middlesbrough, and Redcar and Cleveland at their own mini World Cup next Thursday. Teams of year five and year six pupils will compete at Southlands Leisure Centre, in Ormesby Road, Middlesbrough, from 10am to 3.30pm.

PRAISE SERVED: Special school students have been praised after completing a food hygiene course. Saltergill Special School, Yarm, was looking for ways to give students alternative accreditation to GCSEs when it teamed up with Stockton Borough Council's food and environmental health unit. Students received their certificates after applying for the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health's Foundation Certificate in Food Hygiene. Teachers and students declared the course a success after becoming the second school, after Stockton's Abbey Hill School, to complete the programme.

NAME CHANGE: Middles-brough Temperance Society has changed its name to Middlesbrough and District Temperance Society, meaning it now covers the whole of the Tees Valley. The group's aim is to educate young people about drug and alcohol abuse and it will provide its services free of charge to any organisation in Redcar and Cleveland, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Stockton and Darlington. For further information, call Judith James on (01642) 270550.