SPECIAL branch anti-terrorist officers are to visit communal internet access centres around County Durham.

The aim of the visits will be to warn managers of the centres that possible extremists could access the worldwide web using their computers.

The Firthmoor Community Centre, in Darlington, has already been visited by officers

Detective Superintendent Neil Malkin, from Durham Police's anti-terrorist branch, said all centres with communal internet access would be visited.

He said: "My officers have been visiting community cafes, internet cafes and other places as part of a community engagement strategy.

"It is to ensure members of the public who use these facilities are alerted to the fact the computers can be used by extremists.

"We mean extremists in the broadest sense - terrorists, animal rights campaigners, anything like that.

"There was nothing particular at Firthmoor - it is about engagement in Darlington and County Durham to make sure people are aware.

"It's about making sure people who run the centres know who is using the computers, and what they are looking at. And, if they think they are being used for extremism, they know who to call."

Det Supt Malkin added that the programme would run indefinitely around the county.