LATE night cleaners could be placed on the streets of Southend to help fight crime.

Southend Council and Essex Police are exploring whether night time street cleaning could be used to increase the presence of responsible bodies in the town centre.

The proposal is seen as a way of improving a uniformed presence between police, the council and other agencies on the streets, to combat antisocial behaviour.

Ian Robertson, councillor responsible for public protection and waste management, said: "Officers are having a look at this.

"It would be expensive as the cleaners would have to be protected and made sure they were not in danger.

"They would certainly have to be visible.

"But if their job was to clean we would not expect them to intervene in incidents."

Night cleaners would add to the visible presence already provided by the six Neighbourhood Policing Teams in the borough.

Neil Raven, owner of Ravens in Clifftown Road, welcomed the idea.

He said: "It's definitely a good idea. The streets could do with more cleaning. There's so much muck on them and to do it in the evenings is good.

"It helps to have more official presence on the streets to help control anti-social behaviour, but more police officers wouldn't go amiss."

Street cleaning could build on the success of the SOS bus, which provides a safe haven for vulnerable people in Southend town centre, between 9pm and 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.