VILLAGE beat bobbies are urging people to use a set of police boxes to report non-urgent matters and pass on information.

Three black boxes, each sporting Durham Constabulary's StreetSafe campaign logo, have been placed in community buildings by West Cornforth Parish Council. The boxes have been placed in the medical centre, in Reading Street, the primary school and also at Cornforth House drop-in centre.

The post boxes can be used to report non-urgent matters to the police -which officers say can include incidents such as vandalism, graffiti or anti-social behaviour - and also to pass on information anonymously about suspected drug dealers or other criminals.

PC Sue Howard said: "A lot of people don't want to be seen informing the police but need to be in touch with a local officer.

"The boxes are in places anyone could be visiting for a legitimate reason, but can also slip a note into the boxes unnoticed."