Organisers of Remembrance parades are struggling to meet the spiraling costs of a growing compensation culture.

The costs involved in honouring the region's war dead have, in some cases, doubled due to rising insurance premiums and fees resulting from enforced road closures.

Organisers have criticised the "crippling costs" and say their efforts are being hampered by an increasing amount of red tape - designed to cut the risk of compensation claims arising from any accident.

Two councils in Teesdale, County Durham, have already seen their costs increase after they had to apply for road closure orders to meet road safety requirements.

This may involve them having to hire professional traffic management companies to put up signs to notify drivers of the impending road closures.

Barnard Castle Town Council estimates it will spend an extra £200 to £300 to carry out the road closure order for its Remembrance Sunday parade - almost doubling its current £350 budget.

Barnard Castle Mayor, John Watson, said: "It does seem rather a strong approach and does make quite a big impact on the budget."

Middleton-in-Teesdale Parish Council must also apply for road closure orders for the duration of its ten minute ceremony.

Parish council chairman, Diana Mahood, said: "I think the bureaucracy over health and safety issues is going a little bit to the extreme.

"No community group should have to jump through such hoops or face such crippling charges."

Bev McMahon, who organises Remembrance services in Willington, Hunwick and Helmington Row, in the Wear Valley, said she was having to pay £150 to £200 for insurance for parades.

She added: "The British Legion don't cover that, they don't have the funds.

RAF veteran Fred Chatwin, 80, from Normanby, near Middlesbrough - who was shot down over Germany - said: "It seems very odd and it shouldn't be that they are forced to close. It's still very important that people get to remember."

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Mark Colacicchi (corr), the County Field Officer for the Royal British Legion in the North-East, said: "Although the organisers may have to pay out more, hopefully next year they can build these things into their budget."