The 'most dangerous' locations in County Durham have been revealed in new crime figures.

Churchill Support Services, a company specialising in security services, has released the results of a new study on the 25 most dangerous areas in the North East; revealing that there are nine locations in County Durham included.

The firm pinpointed the major issues facing people across the region's landscape, including antisocial behaviour, violent crime, and shoplifting.

The nine 'most dangerous locations' in County Durham

The study shows that nine areas in County Durham are considered some of the most dangerous areas in the North East due to the number of crimes per 1,000 people.

Newton Aycliffe, Willington, Ferryhill, Murton, Peterlee, Horden, Stanley, Easington, and Shildon all ranked high in the top 25 most dangerous areas in the North East list.

  • Shildon (4th) - Crime rate of 182.2 Per 1000 People and 1,758 individual offences 
  • Easington (5th) - Crime rate of 181.8 Per 1000 People and 1,266 total crimes
  • Stanley (6th) - Crime rate of 180.8 Per 1000 People and 3,513 crimes in total
  • Horden (8th) - Crime rate of 178.9 Per 1000 People and 6,807 offences
  • Peterlee (9th) - Crime rate of 177.5 Per 1000 People and 3,505 total offences
  • Murton (10th) - Crime rate of 176.8 Per 1000 People and 1,281 crimes
  • Ferryhill (11th) - Crime rate of 174.2 Per 1000 People and 1,543 offences
  • Willington (18th) - Crime rate of 159.2 Per 1000 People and 905 offences
  • Newton Aycliffe (22nd) - Crime rate of 148.0 Per 1000 People and 3,814 offences

The 25 Most Dangerous Areas Of the North East (2024)

While nine locations are listed in County Durham as the 'most dangerous' in the North East, Churchill Support Services lists Thornaby, Eston and Ashington as having a worse crime level than any County Durham level. 

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Explanations of the crime data

Alongside the new data, Churchill Support Services has explained why the crime levels are so high in certain locations. 

Here are the explanations for Shildon, Easington and Stanley - the three locations ranked the 'most dangerous in County Durham:

Stanley

"Close to the boundary between County Durham and Tyne and Wear, the story of the town of Stanley is a familiar one. The area’s industrial past has slowly been replaced and overtaken by high-street shops and commercial markets, turning the town into a sleepy suburb. Despite this, crime has still not fallen in the area, with a rate of 180.8 offences per 1000 residents last year, while reported crime reached 3,513 crimes in total."

Easington

"Just a short distance away from Peterlee and Horden, Easington shares the area’s roots in the coal industry. However, unlike many other areas, Easington’s colliery held out until 1993 – when it became Durham’s very last coalfield to finally shut its doors. This recent shock sent ripples through the community, helping push the crime rate up to 181.8 offences per 1000 people, and resulting in 1,266 total crimes in the previous year."

Shildon

"About halfway between Darlington and Durham, Shildon is perhaps best known for hosting the Locomotion railway museum. This is largely due to the town opening the very first railway station on the Stockton and Darlington line in 1825. Despite the draws for train enthusiasts, crime figures in the area are not nearly as appealing, with a rate of 182.2 per 1000 residents, amounting to a worrying count of 1,758 individual offences."