POLICE are taking action to get a graffiti and litter-strewn area of Darlington town centre cleaned up.

Officers carried out a visual audit of the Union Street area, behind Northgate, and found evidence of drug use and empty gas cans scattered around.

Bin bags had also been dumped and ripped open and several of the empty buildings in the area had been daubed with graffiti.

Buildings and street furniture on East Raby Street and Powlett Street had also been targeted by graffiti artists using the tags ‘Liker’ and ‘Hero’.

The Darlington Town Rangers have been asked to clean up the street graffiti while the police contact the owners of the empty town centre properties to instruct them to clean them up.

Officers are also liaising with Darlington Borough Council’s CCTV unit to see whether there is any footage that can be used to identify people responsible for drug use, fly tipping and graffiti in the area.

Town centre shops in the Union Street area are also being visited by officers regarding the disposal of commercial waste.