THE North-East office of a charity that helps victims of crime is to close.

Victim Support's office in Darlington will shut after more than 20 years in the town, and a spokesman for the charity in County Durham said more could shut if a county-wide restructuring programme went ahead.

He said Victim Support could not afford to carry out alterations to its offices in Duke Street to make the building accessible to disabled people, which it must do by October under the Disability Discrimination Act.

A volunteer at the office, who did not want to be named, said: "I'm absolutely disgusted about it.

"They have given no thought to the victims at all. They want to cut costs irrespective of the damage they are doing to other people. This will have a big impact on the people that need us most."

The office provides a number of services, from witness support and counselling, to help for domestic violence victims and crime prevention work.

In Darlington, two members of staff could be made redundant when the office closes. A decision on their futures will be made at a meeting next Wednesday.

Twenty-five volunteers will be transferred within the charity, once the office is sold.

The spokesman said a shake-up at County Durham Victim Support could see staff merge into two central regional offices, one for north and one for south Durham, in line with the restructured Durham Constabulary, which also has two divisions.

This could see the closures of at least eight of the charity's ten offices in the county.

They currently help about 15,000 victims of crime each year, as well as 600 witnesses.

Don Littlefair, who used the services of Darlington Victim Support after his daughter, Rachael, was killed by her boyfriend, Billy Clifton, in 2001, said: "I don't know how I would have coped without them.

"The people there really helped me. People rely on them, so this will be a big loss.

"It's always there if you need it. It will be awful if they close it."

Sheila Gamble, of Startforth, Barnard Castle, used the charity's services when her son, Ian, was stabbed to death in 1996.

She said reducing the number of offices would have an impact upon victims.

"In the beginning I was making weekly visits. It's nice to know that they're at the end of the phone if you need them, and you get to know the volunteers, but now that's not going to happen."

However, the charity's spokesman said victims would not suffer as a result of any changes.

"The service to victims and witnesses will be very much sustained and there is no need for anyone to worry. We will make alternative arrangements so there won't be any hardship.