A drive to make car parks in Hartlepool town centre safer and more attractive to shoppers has received a boost.

Roker Street car park, which was recently refurbished at a cost of £120,000, has been awarded Secured Car Parks status.

It is the town's fourth car park to receive the accolade, after the basement and multi-storey car parks in the Middleton Grange Shopping Centre and Eden Street car park.

Secured Car Parks status is awarded by the Association of Chief Police Officers after a tough assessment.

Improvements at the 80-space car park include reconstruction and re-surfacing, better lighting, clearer signs and lines, the installation of a help point, dedicated pedestrian walkways and upgraded security cameras.

Improvements were also made to the adjacent Park Road junction, including the installation of a refuge island and pedestrian controlled crossing point.

Phil Hepburn, Hartlepool Borough Council's car parking manager, said: "Forty per cent of town centre car parking spaces are now covered by Secured Car Parks awards, and people do tell us they now feel safer. We aim to build on what has already been achieved by improving two car parks per year to secured by design standards."