A NEW broom has swept through a Southampton estate - literally - as residents pulled together to clean up the reputation of their area.

Families on the Mandela Way estate in Shirley gathered to clear litter and rubbish from around their homes - and managed to gather enough refuse to fill three lorries.

Up to 40 residents took part in the big clean-up operation and they even unearthed an old bath that had been discarded on the estate.

The event was organised by Southampton City Council's local services Clean is Better action group.

Cleansing team leader John Martin said: "The litter clean-up at Mandela Way was a huge success. We had a great turnout of residents, both young and old, who all helped to improve not only the look of the estate but also the safety of those who live there. "There was a real community feel to the event and residents even made cakes and toffee apples for the youngsters to enjoy in between litter picking."

Anna Hellen, a City Council community worker for the estate, said householders had approached the council with the idea of cleaning up their patch - and the local authority was only too happy to help.

"There was a good community feel to the event. We started half an hour early as the children were so keen.

"All in all it was a good day, even down to the sun shining," she said.

This is not the first example of the estate pulling together. In 1998 residents bravely agreed to be witnesses in a court case to evict three problem families from Mandela Way.

Chief city council housing officer Dave Lewis praised the "willingness and cou-rage" of those living in the area to come forward and testify.

Mandela Way hit the headlines in June this year when it emerged that youths who were evicted from their homes on the estate just 18 months ago had returned to make householders' lives a misery.

Hopes that Mandela Way could return to a state of normality dissolved when the outcasts returned to daub graffiti round the estate and to intimidate householders.

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