A BLISTERING attack has been launched on police response times in Darlington.

The borough council leader says the town is being let down by a lamentable service and wants Durham chief constable Paul Garvin to attend a special meeting with councillors to thrash out concerns.

Mr Garvin, who said he would be happy to talk to councillors, admitted that people sometimes did not get the service they should expect.

Coun John Williams' broadside was sparked by a terrifying incident at a newly-opened residential complex for the elderly in Yarm Road.

Pensioners were besieged inside Mayflower Court as a gang of youths pelted the building with stones and chained and padlocked the main gates.

Despite three separate calls to police, officers did not attend. Firefighters eventually removed the padlock.

The force's call centre in Bishop Auckland, which became operative in January, said local officers were too busy to deal with the incident.

"It is hard to imagine what the residents were going through as they were subjected to a battery assault of missiles," said Coun Williams at last week's council meeting.

"And what type of lout would carry out such a callous attack on elderly people?"

The council leader said that when the police calls system was reorganised, Darlington was promised a better service.

"But it is not working and the people feel let down," he said.

Coun Tony Richmond described the move as an unmitigated disaster. "There is a war going on and the police are losing that war," he said.

Coun Heather Scott had already tabled questions for the chief constable. "People are annoyed and frustrated at the deterioration in the service we get and we need the chief constable to address this," she said.

Coun Bill Dixon, council police authority member, expressed sympathy for officers on the beat. "It is not their fault people are waiting for hours yet they get it in the neck," he said.

He said the authority had reserves of £17m, so resources were not a problem.

A spokesman for Mayflower Court said residents had felt very vulnerable during the incident. "If someone had needed an ambulance while the gates were padlocked, the consequences could have been grave," she said.

A spokesman for Durham police said the service being provided by the call centre was being addressed as a matter of urgency.

"There have been teething troubles and we are taking action to deal with this. We accept that on occasions people have not been getting the sort of service they have a right to expect," he said.

The chief constable, Mr Garvin said: "If Darlington Council want to talk to us then we will come and talk."

* Further report on page 5