PEOPLE in Southampton are set to see their neighbourhoods improve as part of a new £1.5m community warden scheme.

Wardens to clean up areas and improve the quality of life for residents are being recruited for outer Shirley and inner-city areas.

They will do small repairs, cleaning and litter collections as well as informing the council of any large-scale work that needs to be done to estates.

The project is one of the first of its kind in Hampshire and it is hoped wardens will act as a deterrent to graffiti artists and other vandals.

Ten wardens will initially be appointed to patrol Millbrook, Maybush, Newtown, Nicholstown and the Golden Grove and Holyrood estates in St Mary's.

The City Council project is part of a government regeneration scheme.

It will cost more than £1.5m to run for a minimum of two years in the inner city and six years in outer Shirley.

A spokesman from Southampton City Council said: "The wardens are not police officers and they will not have powers of arrest but they will be working with the police.

"They will be part caretakers, part security officers working to build up a sense of community spirit."

A spokesman from the housing services department said: "They're not going to be miracle workers but they are going to be an extra pair of hands to work with the help and support of the public."

Councillor Paul Jenks, cabinet member for housing and community regeneration, said: "The Neighbourhood Wardens really should improve the quality of life for hundreds of people in Southampton."

If you would like to become one, call 023 8083 2717 for more information. The closing date for applications is August 31.