A DARLINGTON man arrested by police on suspicion of drugs offences, threw items into the River Skerne as he was being detained, police say.

The 39-year-old was stopped by officers on St Cuthberts Way, the town's ring road, around 8.15pm tonight.

"We arrested a male for possession of drugs with intent to supply," a spokesman for Darlington police said. "He tried to dispose of it over the river.

"It was pro-active policing and credit should go to the CCTV operators who followed a male after a member of the public had called it in. We responded to that and on seeing the police he decided to discard (the items) into the river."

The items were recovered and there was no danger to members of the public, he added.