ABANDONED cars will be towed away within 24 hours under a new clampdown to clean up Worcestershire's streets.

Transport Secretary Stephen Byers promised local authorities would be given new powers to take away wrecks quickly.

At present, councils must wait a week before towing away bangers and 21 days for vehicles which could be sold.

Now they will be able to act after just 24 hours for the worst cars and after seven to 14 days where the car has a commercial value.

And they will be able to destroy the vehicles within two weeks, instead of having to wait 35 days as they do at present.

The crackdown follows evidence that the problem of abandoned cars is worsening because it is no longer possible to sell ageing vehicles for scrap.

Mr Byers said bangers fetched £30-40 five years ago, but owners now had to pay to have them taken away. He said a staggering 1,000 cars were being dumped every day up and down Britain - and the law had to change to take account of the rising problem.

Worcester city councillor Mike Layland was encouraged.

"If we could develop a system where residents could phone up to remove these dumped vehicles it would be an excellent facility," he said.

"Apart from the eyesore, I am always concerned that a child could be seriously injured playing on these wrecks. I would like to see a stricter enforcement of fining the offenders when this new system comes into force."

Mr Byers dubbed dumped cars "an increasing eyesore" and echoed Mr Layland's comments about the dangers of children playing on wrecks.

"Too often they are also a target for local arsonists," said Mr Byers. "If a car has no value then a notice will be placed on it, and within 24 hours it can be taken away.

"If a car has some value then perhaps seven days is an appropriate time."

Local councils will also be given new powers to track down and prosecute owners of dumped cars by a tightening up of vehicle registration.

Mr Byers said he intended to create a "rolling register" to make it easier to track the estimated one million unregistered cars in Britain.

Police and traffic wardens would be encouraged to spot and report the owners of cars without tax discs.