A CENTRE for victims of rape and serious sexual assaults is set to open at a hospital in the region later this year.

The Sexual Assault Referral Centre will be based at North Tees Hospital, in Stockton, and will provide specialist advice and counselling to rape victims.

The go-ahead for the centre was announced yesterday after funding was secured from the Government, Cleveland Police and local primary care trusts.

The establishment of the centre follows national studies into how sex attack victims are treated and why so few cases lead to successful prosecutions.

Currently, the nearest examination facilities are at Cleveland Police offices at Middlesbrough and Hartlepool.

Police said the new facility, to open in September, will be a one-stop location providing a five-star service.

Chief Constable Sean Price, of Cleveland Police, said: "This particular site offers a number of advantages over the existing arrangements. Primarily, of course, will be the improvements in service to the victims themselves."

He said this would include initial support and reassurance by trained personnel in a non-police environment.

Pam Andrews-Mawer, from Cleveland Police Authority, said: "From the police's point of view it should ensure that they can quickly secure forensic evidence and, of course, with the hospital there will be facilities ranging from accident and emergency care to advice on contraception and sexually transmitted diseases."