A MAJOR clean-up of Toothill has uncovered seven abandoned vehicles and more than 100 graffiti sites.

The joint council and police scheme aims to boost community spirit and inspire the people living there to keep up the good work.

A 60-strong team of officers from Swindon Council, Swindon police and probation services joined residents in clearing litter.

People were also able to get practical advice on how to keep Toothill tidy.

A litter-pick collected more than 60 black bags of rubbish and three stray dogs were rounded up.

Cheri Wright from Swindon Council's crime and disorder team, said: "The results speak for themselves in terms of the fact that all the agencies involved worked really hard to make the place look a lot cleaner."

Resident Sharon Lovelock, 33, said: "I think it's a good idea. It's all about the graffiti and it's about time someone did something. I live down in Markenfield, and there's graffiti on the basketball courts."

Probation service project co-ordinator Alison Maule said: "The workers do get behind it.

"It's something where people feel they are making a contribution to the area."

But while the operation was hailed a success, other residents fear for the future of the area.

Steve Cummings, 39, said: "It's quite good but there's still going to be some trouble. There's always going to be kids here making noise."

Ex-Para George Durant, 83, wants to see a tougher line on yobs. He said: "It's our whole system that is letting people down. Young lads dump litter everywhere and they don't care when you tell them to stop."

Mavis Griffiths, 79, said: "I have lived here for nine years and the situation has steadily got worse. It's mostly young people who dump litter in gardens and cause vandalism around the community centre."

Residents Ruth and Norris Kiddle, who joined litter-pickers from Enterprise Works, said they were taking a stand.

Ruth said: "All this graffiti and rubbish is depressing.

"We see people dumping rubbish into back gardens all the time."

Norris added: "We're taking a stand because it's not educating the future generation to look after their environment."

Prime Minister Tony Blair visited Toothill in January to clear graffiti from a wall as part of a clampdown on anti-social behaviour.

But Ruth does not think much has changed since then.

She said: "It was basically a publicity stunt. The politicians were here but the residents weren't told. It hasn't made a major change to life here."

Swindon Community Fire Service also distributed more than a thousand safety leaflets to residents, and will carry out 30 home safety checks in the next week.