A scheme launched in the North-East to improve community policing is going from strength to strength.

Darlington became the first police area in the region to employ police community support officers.

The officers help to assist police officers by dealing with traffic duties and tackling nuisance and anti-social behaviour.

The support officers have no power of arrest but they can confiscate cigarettes and alcohol from youngsters.

They also assist with house -to-house inquiries, re-visits to burglary victims and give crime prevention advice.

In the past six months, the Darlington team of support officers has carried out more than 3,000 hours of high visibility patrols, attended more than 100 residents meetings, confiscated alcohol and tobacco on 22 occasions and dealt with nearly 300 incidents of youth causing a nuisance.

Chief Superintendent Mich-ael Banks, divisional commander at Darlington and Sedgefield, said: "The officers are making a tremendous contribution to policing in Darlington. I have had a great deal of positive feedback from members of the public and community groups."

The success of the pilot scheme could mean that it is adopted in other areas of the region.