A VILLAGE was sealed off on Wednesday as police thwarted a plot by dealers to invade County Durham with crack cocaine.

At dawn, officers formed a ring of blue steel around Grange Villa, near Chester-le-Street.

Then at 6.30am, teams forced entry into a number of homes in the village and arrested several suspected heroin and crack dealers.

At the same time, other officers targeted addresses in Stanley, Sacriston, Ouston, Bournmoor and Chester-le-Street. The operation, code name Grenada, involved more than 250 Durham officers.

It is one of the biggest ever mounted by Durham Constabulary and follows more than a year of work by detectives.

Ann Blewitt, chairman of Grange Villa Residents' Association, who has long campaigned against drug dealers in the village, said: "We saw a police car come through at about 6am, then a van, then another one.

"I realised something was up and my first feeling was that it was about time. I was pleased and relieved."

It is believed to be the first time an organised gang has tried to introduce crack cocaine to the county.

David Cliff of the County Durham Drug and Alcohol Abuse Action Team said: "Its appearance in Durham is worrying because crack is associated with particularly violent crime."

North Durham MP Kevan Jones said: "It shows that this rural constituency has urban problems.

"Crack is a concern, but with tough action I am sure we can stop it from spreading." As part of the operation, Cleveland Police raided two homes in Stockton and Middlesbrough. Northumbria Police also targeted three homes in Beacon Lough, Hebburn and Birtley, near Chester-le-Street.

Twenty addresses were hit and police arrested 17 men and two women, all in their 20s and 30s. Some were arrested for conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine. Others are suspected of other offences including burglary, theft and handling stolen goods.

They were being questioned at Consett and Durham police stations, while forensic teams carried out detailed searches of the properties targeted in the raids.

As soon as the raids finished, officers called on homes in the village, posting a leaflet explaining what had taken place.