TWO Darlington taxi firms say abusive customers have forced them to shut their town centre offices on Friday and Saturday nights.

The companies say a shortage of taxi drivers has led to mayhem at weekends, with staff in their offices being shouted and spat at by frustrated customers who are forced to wait to be taken home.

1AB and United Taxis will still take fares over the telephone but are putting shutters up at their respective offices in Northgate and Gladstone Street.

The firms blame Darlington Borough Council for introducing a compulsory driving test for drivers, which they say is deterring people from joining the trade.

Paul Rimmer, at 1AB, said: "We are having to do this because of the threats of violence on a Friday and Saturday night.

"We can't actually handle the volume of work because of the shortage of drivers. People are fighting to get in to cars."

Driver Michael Winn said windows at the 1AB office had been shattered and pizzas thrown at telephone operators by customers.

He said: "People are waiting that long to get a taxi and they are full of drink, that is why it happens."

The firms says people currently have to wait up to 45 minutes to get a taxi at peak times. Two years ago, 1AB had 52 drivers but now has just 26.

Mr Rimmer said: "The council has decimated the trade by bringing in the test."

United owner Mike Wilson said: "I have lost at least a quarter of my workforce. My staff are getting abused and it's purely and simply because of the long wait people have to endure."

The council's licensing manager Barry Pearson said the council stood by its decision to bring in the Driving Standards Agency test, but said that very few new recruits had joined the trade since its introduction.

He said: "I have suggested to both United and 1AB that we need a meeting with the police to talk about what the problem is."