POLICE are stepping up their work on a Darlington estate to stamp out attacks on buses.

PC Jonathan Stoker, beat officer for the Red Hall area, has been increasing patrols on the estate.

He said on Friday and Saturday nights he had taken the names of about 12 children seen in Coombe Drive, near Bisley Court, where attacks had occurred.

"My intention is to go to speak to them with their parents about the incidents. I would hope not to find them there again, because if I do, I will be asking some serious questions," he said.

PC Stoker said he also confiscated a quantity of alcohol from the children.

He plans to work with Red Hall Primary School and speak at an assembly about the attacks on buses and other anti-social behaviour.

"We are still studying footage from the cctv (closed-circuit television) cameras on the buses that were attacked and when we have that evidence, we will be making arrests," he said.

PC Stoker believes some of the children involved are very young.

The Green Bus Company services to the estate were temporarily stopped because of safety fears after a bus window was smashed.

This led to a multi-agency meeting to discuss a strategy to tackle the problem.

Anyone with information about anti-social behaviour can contact Darlington police on (01325) 467681.