OPENING: New alley gates have been officially unveiled in a series of vandal-hit streets.

The 21 gates have been installed in anti-social behaviour hotspots around the Portland Street area of Cobridge.

To mark the work, a clean-up day was held in the area yesterday.

The day saw environmental work, such as litter picking, tree cutting and the removal of items that had been fly-tipped.

Jo Moss, of Stoke-on-Trent City Council's western area implementation team, said: "Feedback from the community was positive.

"We hope the gates will reduce anti-social behaviour in the areas concerned."

Pictured are residents Sarah Horton and Rob Sharp, front, with Inspector Martin Brereton, PCSO Katie Sullivan, council workers Nicola Poole and Gloria Dix and Emily Tomkinson, from the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Picture: Neil Hulse