LEAGUE tables which give a damning verdict on two of the region's police forces were last night branded out-of-date.

Statistics issued by the Home Office show rates of burglary and robbery are higher in Cleveland and North Yorkshire than in other similar areas.

But Cleveland Police described the performance monitors for 2002-03 as "historic" and insisted crime has fallen by four per cent in the past six months.

The figures also show Durham and Northumbria are performing far better in reducing crime than their comparable forces.

Overall, three-quarters of police forces solved a lower proportion of crimes last year than in the previous 12 months.

A total of 32 of the 43 forces in England and Wales achieved a lower detection rate.

The report found that Cleveland was worse than the average of six similar forces in a comparison of rates of burglary, robbery and vehicle crimes.

North Yorkshire was worse than average at both reducing and investigating offences, compared to a batch of eight similar forces, with just 19 per cent of crimes solved.

Cleveland was compared to Merseyside, Northumbria, South Yorkshire, West Midlands and West Yorkshire.

North Yorkshire, meanwhile, was compared to Devon and Cornwall, Glucestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Warwickshire and Wiltshire.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said the four per cent fall in the past six months equates to 1,500 fewer victims, and added: "Together with our partner agencies, we are improving life for communities in our area."

Durham, which was compared to the Gwent, Humberside, Lancashire and South Wales forces, performed spectacularly well in reducing crime; while Northumbria was better than average in all five of the categories monitored - reducing crime, investigating crime, public confidence, use of resources and fear of crime.

Durham's assistant chief constable Gary Barnett said: "These figures show that Durham Constabulary is continuing to reduce crime and is performing better in this respect than its most similar forces.

"Figures for the first six months of this year reaffirm this and we have one of the lowest crime rates in the country and one of the best detection rates."

The indicators use complex diagrams called ''spidergrams'' which cost the Home Office £70,000 to develop and were unveiled for the first time last year.

Violent crime, including sexual assault and domestic violence, will be included in performance monitors in future years.