NEW outreach offices could be opened if five Victim Support centres in County Durham are closed.

A decision on whether to close the offices - in Consett, Chester-le-Street, Peterlee, Bishop Auckland and Darlington - is expected to be made by the charity at a meeting next Wednesday as part of a restructuring programme aimed at cutting costs.

The proposals have caused concerns that victims of crime will suffer.

But Dr Glen Reynolds, spokesman for the charity, said that if the plans get the go-ahead, replacement outreach offices would be opened.

"The aim is to downsize the properties and maintenance costs, but continue to provide the services for victims and witnesses of crime," he said.

He added that under the restructuring plans, offices in Durham and Northallerton would remain as administrative centres, with the 125 volunteers across the county continuing in their work.

But around 15 employees at the five offices facing closure could be made redundant and will learn their fate at Wednesday's meeting.

Dr Reynolds said that the Darlington office in Duke Street would have to close because the charity cannot afford to make it accessible to disabled people, as required by the Disability Discrimination Act.

However, Gordon Pybus, chairman of Darlington Association on Disability, said that organisations do not have to carry out changes to buildings if such work would be financially unreasonable.

He said that the law stated that services provided by organisations must be accessible to disabled people - not necessarily their building.

He said: "So, if they wanted to they could come to our offices and have meetings there with disabled people and still comply with the law.

"Either they have misunderstood the law or they are using it as an excuse to close the office, but if they want help on this, I can do that."

Dr Reynolds said Victim Support County Durham had taken legal advice and had been advised the building had to be changed.