Estate residents urged to join the fight against crime

Beat officer for the Branksome area, PC Amanda Stevens, is asking parents to make sure they know where their children are and what they are doing, and for the wider community to report any grievances.

The appeal follows an increase since last month in the number of complaints regarding anti-social behaviour in Branksome.

PC Stevens said: "This term covers a broad range of activities from young children playing football to teenagers drinking alcohol in the streets.

"As it stands at the moment there are a number of solutions available, including educating children about the effect their behaviour has on others, speaking with them in the presence of their parents or, in extreme cases, I am prepared to use the criminal justice system."

PC Stevens said he urged parents to ensure that they knew where their children were and what they were up to.

He also asked people suffering the consequences of anti-social behaviour to keep police informed of incidents as they happened by telephoning the main police office.

Sergeant Dave Kirton, of Darlington police, confirmed that reports of anti-social behaviour had risen in Darlington.

But he said officers would be looking at the Branksome area to see if they could prevent anti-social behaviour.

Andy Errington, Darlington Borough Council's head of youth offending, said the Branksome estate was a target area for council community wardens.

"It is a target area, but that does not mean it is any worse than other areas in the town," he said.

"They may have had an increase there, but it is a normal increase, with kids being off school. Branksome is one of the areas we will look at especially in relation to youths causing annoyance, along with Park End, Firthmoor, Skerne Park and Lascelles."

The Darlington council community wardens can be contacted directly on 07816 820048.

Anyone wanting to report anti-social behaviour is asked to telephone Darlington police on (01325) 467681.