PEOPLE in County Durham and Cleveland are far more likely to be the victim of a distraction burglary than residents elsewhere in England, figures show.

And they are up to five times more likely to be burgled by someone gaining entry by deception than people in neighbouring North Yorkshire.

There were ten distraction burglaries per 10,000 homes in Cleveland in the 12 months to March, and nine per 10,000 households in County Durham. The average across England and Wales was seven.

The figures in North Yorkshire (two per 10,000 homes) and Northumbria (three per 10,000 homes) were among the lowest in the country.

Meanwhile, distraction burglaries accounted for 7.7 per cent of total burglaries in Durham -the highest proportion in the country. The average was four per cent.

The figures add weight to The Northern Echo's Doorstoppers campaign, which aims to stamp out the menace.

Doorstoppers has the backing of the police, trading standards officers, politicians, utility companies and organisations that look after elderly people.

The aim is to raise awareness of the dangers of bogus callers and distraction burglaries and press for a change in the law to combat door-to-door property repair tradesmen.

There were more than 15,000 distraction burglaries across England and Wales in the 12 months to March, but it is the first time the figures have been collated, so no comparison with previous years is possible.

With 672 distraction burglaries across the North-East and North Yorkshire in 2003/2004, it means that 13 people were victims every week.

The highest total was in Cleveland (227), followed by Durham (219), Northumbria (153) and North Yorkshire (73).

Overall quarterly figures, also released yesterday, revealed that general crime was down seven per cent in 2003/2004, according to householders interviewed for the British Crime Survey.

Crime figures recorded by police showed a five per cent fall, but neither statistic is broken down by police force area.

There was a three per cent rise in gun crime, following a two per cent rise the previous year.

The statistics revealed a 35 per cent rise in crimes involving imitation weapons.

But there was a 15 per cent fall in the number of shooting-related deaths, which fell to 81 from 97 in the previous 12 months.

Home Office Minister Hazel Blears said the Government had to get across the message that "carrying a gun is not a cool thing to do".