A crime-cracking scheme in which gates are installed at the end of alleys and back roads is being extended to another area of the North-East.

Alleygate is being used in crime blackspots in several parts of the country, including Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Stockton, Liverpool and London.

Now 8ft high gates, for which residents and the emergency services will have keys, will be installed behind Hillside Road, Collingwood Street and East Avenue in Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham.

Durham County Council has given its approval to an 18-month trial. If the scheme is successful, it could be introduced in other areas if residents want it.

It could go ahead within the next three months if there are no objections to the council's bid for a traffic regulation order.

The Durham-based organisation Disc (Developing Initiatives for Support in the Community) has won funding for the gates.

Council engineer Gordon Wingrove said all residents were in favour because they were concerned about the back roads being used for drug taking, as a dumping ground for stolen of broken-down cars and fly tipping.

"No future schemes will go ahead until the end of the experiment," he said.

"By introducing it as an experiment, we can receive and deal with any objections or complaints while it is running. At least 75 per cent of the residents have to be in favour before it can go ahead.

"We are introducing the scheme at Coundon on environmental grounds. We want to bring the area back to the community.''

He added that the council did not take the decision to close off public roads lightly.

"Nobody who doesn't live there has a need to use the back lane. If you were visiting you could use the front of the properties,'' he said.

The council is applying to Wear Valley District Council for planning permission for the welded metal gates. A residents' committee will oversee the scheme.