Newcastle to undergo a £1million spring clean ahead of the Great Exhibition of the North

£1million will be spent on a major clean-up of Newcastle ahead of the Great Exhibition of the North in the summer.

The City Council will use the money to sweep the streets, pick up litter, remove dog mess, erase graffiti and cutback overgrown shrubbery.

The Great Exhibition of the North 2018 runs from June 22 to September 9. Thousands of people are expected to visit Newcastle for the event, which promises to include vibrant street performances and cutting edge culture.

The clean-up comes after a survey found that more than half of residents said they were not satisfied with street cleaning in the city.

The £1million will come from council savings, and the spring clean will include a dedicated graffiti team and two mechanical sweepers.

The spring clean comes just weeks before the Great British Spring Clean which takes place from March 4 to 6.