A PROJECT aimed at ridding Darlington of litter has seen tonnes of rubbish cleared from streets and back lanes across the borough.

Darlington Borough Council's 100-Day Grot Spot Campaign, launched in June, encouraged residents to call a hotline to report areas in the town where rubbish needed clearing or where there was graffiti.

Almost 500 calls were taken over the 100 days, which led to more than 30 tonnes of rubbish being collected - enough to fill three refuse lorries.

The council's cleaning team also cleared 106 fly-tipping spots, 15 rivers and becks and 30 graffiti sites.

As well as reporting incidents, the Grot Spot Campaign encouraged members of the public to get involved in keeping the borough clean.

Community groups and schools helped to organise 255 litter picks at various locations.

In total, 2,641 hours were spent cleaning, clearing and tidying during the campaign.

Stephen Harker, the council's cabinet member for consumer and environmental services, said: "I would like to thank everyone who has got involved in the campaign and has helped make such a difference.

"The number of calls to the hotline shows how much people care about their neighbourhoods and how much they want to keep the areas where they live litter-free."

Although the Grot Spot Campaign has ended, residents can still call the hotline to report any litter, fly tipping, dog fouling or graffiti in the town.

People are also being urged to tie their rubbish bags tightly before putting them out.

To stop the town getting littered again, a range of initiatives have been launched to encourage businesses to make sure the area around their premises stay litter-free.

The hotline number to report areas that need clearing is (01325) 388777.