Wardens are welcome at Christmas - and during the rest of the year, too

At least that's what their manager, Mr Mike Hardman, tells them and he's not normally given to over-egging the pudding.

Community wardens, it seems, have clicked in East Cleveland and the response has been enthusiastic. "He has had so much good feedback he expects us to get more Christmas cards than the Queen," said Ms Corner.

A little tour with them on their daily rounds soon shows why.

In Loftus and Skelton, people continually came over, some just to chat, others to pass on information. The point is that the wardens were seen as a point of contact, and that is what it is all about.

Redcar and Cleveland council launched its pioneering community wardens scheme last year to serve a mix of rural and urban areas in Eston, Normanby and Brotton. The brief was to take a tough stance on activities such as dog-fouling and littering, empowering them to issue on-the-spot fines.

Gradually, the council obtained funding to expand the scheme to other areas in a phased programme which ends in the new year. Equally gradually, wardens find their role expanding as trust grows, and the job is now much more than fines for dog dirt and litter.

It appears that their presence alone is enough to reassure people and they are told about all kinds of community problems while on patrol.

Ms Corner, who lives in Middlesborough, was appointed in June and her regular beat is Loftus. She has worked for the council for 16 years, mainly in catering, and had a part-time post when her manager suggested she should become a warden.

"He fired me up to it," she said. "But I have no regrets."

Wardens look for such problems as broken pavements, litter and dog-fouling, faulty street lights and abandoned cars. They then call the relevant council department and get a response team out.

During evening shifts, they can encounter anti-social behaviour. Ms Corner said they would first talk to those involved and hope things would calm down. If they encounter anything more serious, they would call police.

They might also be the first to be alerted to a bag-snatch, drunken behaviour or a fire.

"The council wants us to get involved in the community and we want people to like us."

Mr Collins was less sure about the last point. "You have to keep a distance in case you have to issue fines," he said. "You can't be everyone's best friend."

Wardens are free to go where fancy takes them, mainly to confuse those who might seek to work out their patrol routine.

They work full-time, eight-hour shifts with a break, covering 8am-9pm; from 1-4pm, they operate in pairs.

Ms Corner loves being outdoors. "I like being outside, even in the wet," she said. "We are given waterproofs and all the right gear."

At the same time, they are always grateful to be invited into people's homes for a cup of tea.

Ms Corner has issued one fine notice, Mr Collins four. He was threatened once, but police arrived on the scene in minutes. The incident was over dog-fouling and the man involved turned nasty.

"People I have fined have been OK since," he said, "just the opposite to what I expected, and have not re-offended. From that, I know the job is working."

Mr Collins was one of the first wardens in Redcar and Cleveland; his patrol was in Brotton where dog-fouling was atrocious. "It is unbelievable now it has improved so much," he said.

Pensioners are especially glad to see the familiar figures.

"Elderly people get an extra sense of security from us being around and they know us by name," said Ms Corner.

Mr Collins, who comes from Guisborough, has worked with the council for 15 years. He went for the warden job because he fancied a change.

"It has been brilliant," he said. "I feel we make a difference. There are places in Brotton which were like a tip and are now so different."

Wardens average about ten miles a day on foot. "We are fitter than we were at the start," said Ms Corner, who used to struggle up hills but now takes them in her stride.

Job satisfaction, however, is tempered with a certain regret at the way modern society has developed, and Ms Corner thinks it is a shame wardens are needed.

"Years ago it would not have been necessary as the community looked after itself." But she has no doubt that "the council did the right thing in setting the scheme up."

When her colleague was on holiday recently, she was repeatedly asked where he was.

Mr Collins said: "They wanted their own warden back and that was great, to be adopted by the people."

He said they were "pretty much dropped in it" at the start and have developed the job as they have gone along, using their own initiative.

As we walk around Skelton, the wardens say they don't get afraid. Most people are simply reassured they are around. We see tyre tracks on a piece of grass, churning it up: the housing department will be told.

Mr Collins notes the number of a lamppost where the light is out; they will also report damage to bus shelters or telephone boxes; broken glass needs sweeping up, and cleansing officials will be told.

Wardens can ask for graffiti to be removed.

We meet dog-walker Mr Anthony Hill who said: "We think the wardens are great. They are doing a good job and keep people on their toes. Skelton certainly seems to be getting better since they started."

Further along, Mr John Wadrup stops them to complain about dogs being allowed to foul on land just behind his garden fence. He thinks having wardens is an excellent idea.

"I have been trying to catch those responsible for the fouling," he said. "The wardens are reassuring as we don't see police around here much. Keep up the good work."

As we leave, the wardens decide to make an early start one day in a bid to catch the culprits.

Later on in the patrol, another man approaches and says: "Come back here at 7pm and you will see kids drinking and causing trouble."

He is annoyed about the possible impact of youngsters' behaviour on the community.

"I am 53, but when I was 13 we had three PCs on duty in Skelton and it was only a third of the size it is now," he says.

"No-one paid any rates yet we had a brilliant service. Now the town has grown and there are lots of firms paying business rates and such and we can't afford a proper police service. It is terrible.

"The kids have wrecked a play area and get over-18s to buy drink for them."

Ms Corner said wardens had spoken to police and a team was to be set up in an attempt to deal with the problem.

Mr Collins adds: "Incidents on Friday nights or at weekends are out of our area. It is the problem of the police. This man has got a load off his chest and if there is anything we can do we will."

We take just a few steps and another person approaches to tell them about mess at the rear of a takeaway shop. "There is oil and all sorts and it smells," he says. The wardens look at each other.

"It keeps you busy," says the man by way of justification. Wardens' work is never done.