A police drug squad has raided a suspected heroin den just metres from a nursery school.

More than 60 officers piled into a bedsit on Beach Road, South Shields.

After battering down the front door, search teams smashed down 10 bedsit doors and made several arrests.

Intelligence suggested that not only were suspected dealers living at the bedsit, but their 'runners' were also there, as well as stashes of class A drugs and cash.

The operation started at 8am at South Shields police station with a briefing of dozens of officers from as far away as Morpeth in Northumberland.

Less than an hour later a convoy of marked police vans and cars made the short journey to Beach Road before heavily armoured officers smashed down the front door.

After securing the property and handcuffing suspects, sniffer dogs were taken in to search the premises.

Initial searches are thought to have recovered quantities of drugs and thousands of pounds in cash.

Search teams were expected to remain at the scene for most of the day while questioning of the suspects continued at South Shields police station.