A CRIME-FIGHTING initiative in Darlington has been praised as the best in the Tees Valley - a year after a police chief admitted it needed revitalising.

The town's Neighbourhood Watch project got high marks in a review carried out by the Safe in Tees Valley Community Partnership.

Neighbourhood Watch liaison officer Jacqui Snowball said the initiative had turned itself around since last June, when Darlington's then Det Chief Insp Andy Reddick said that police had failed schemes in the past.

"Things have changed a lot since then," she said. "It's fair to say Darlington Neighbourhood Watch is now thriving and working in partnership with the police."

Sgt Paul Robinson, from the town's Community Safety Partnership, said: "For us, the Safe in Tees Valley review was a very, very positive health check."

Last year the scheme had 2,000 members but many were simply on a database and not part of an active group. A membership audit was carried out and there are now only 1,200 members - but Ms Snowball said they were all actively involved in detecting crime in their area.

She has introduced regular e-mail, telephone and text alerts to warn watches about problems in their area

Tip-offs from members have led to a number of arrests, particularly in relation to car crime.

At the annual Neighbourhood Watch meeting Ms Snowball was given a Divisional Commander's commendation for the development and leadership she has given over the last year.

Members receiving commendations were: Olive Dixon and Floris Allison, both of Southend Avenue, Ivor and Jennifer Griffiths, of Heighington and Anne Plant, of Brinkburn.

Insp Paul Unsworth, from the partnership, said: "There are more and more of our beat officers using Neighbourhood Watch as a means of communicating with their communities.

Anyone who is interested in joining or setting up a Neighbourhood Watch should call Ms Snowball on (01325) 346832.