HIGH bushes which offer cover to youths misbehaving in Hartlepool are to be removed.

Members of Hartlepool Borough Council's north neighbourhood forum have agreed to spend £2,500 cutting back overgrowth between St David's Walk and Hart Lane.

The same amount of money will be contributed by the town's community safety partnership.

The work, which could take several weeks, is to be carried out by workers on a council-backed Intermediate Labour Market Project.

The project, which is also supported by the town's Owton Rossmere and North Hartlepool Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) Partnerships, the European Social Fund and the Employment Service, aims to boost the job hopes of people living in both SRB areas.

They begin by working on environmental improvements, with the ultimate aim of gaining qualifications which could lead to permanent jobs.

Councillor Edna Wright, chairwoman of the forum, said: "This is a sensible approach to a problem, which will jointly benefit both the project workers and local residents. People living in the area are fed up with anti-social behaviour occurring there and shouldn't have to put up with it.