THREE tea towels for a fiver? Or a £750 dress for £240? At Dalton Park you could have both.

When Dalton Park opened a few weeks ago, it caused traffic jams as the world and his wife went shopping for a bargain. But now the fuss has died down, it's time to see what the North's newest outlet centre, has to offer.

It is still very new. Bulldozers are busy landscaping the grounds and two of the main tenants haven't taken up their premises yet - Next and Marks & Spencer.

When they arrive, later in the summer, they will be at either end of a long curving shopping street. Wonderfully easy to navigate. Although sheltered from the elements by some tent-shaped domes, the centre isn't totally enclosed - and on the day we were there seemed a bit of a wind tunnel. Chilly.

But there are plenty of places for a coffee and a warm.

Like all such outlets, it offers discounts of at least 30 per cent. Much of the stock is last season's or end of line and usually what you see is what you get, without the full range or ordering service available at High Street shops.

But there are certainly bargains to be had. Word has already got round about the Joseph shop

"We're getting customers prepared to travel a long way to get here," says manageress Heather Carne. "But we're talking discounts of 50 to 70 per cent. A lot of people have already come back a few times, especially tall ladies as our standard trouser length caters for ladies over six feet tall."

That includes leather trousers reduced from £649 to £194, and leather-look trousers from £199 to £20.

A silver dress, as worn by Tara Palmer Tomkinson when she opened the centre, was £749 and is now £244.

Joseph's best-sellers are laced jeans at £65 (previously £130) or £49.50 instead of £99, and tops at £19.50, £14.50 and £17.50 - which were once twice that. Most items are available in sizes 8 to 14.

Elsewhere the centre seems particularly good for shoes, sportswear and vases.

Reebok and Adidas both have big stores. Reebok Classic trainers sell at £30/£35 instead of £50/£55. Jog pants are £14 (£20) and hooded tops £24 (£35).

Adidas has shield training tops for £31.50 (£45), cuff pants £21 (£30); trainers £38 (£55) and fleece pants at £19.60 (£28).

Rockport has classic Rockport boots for £112 (£160) and sweats for £38 (£55).

Charles Clinkard has children's Startrite shoes for £17.99 (£33), Ecco for £39.99 (£59.99) and Gabor mules at £35 (£49.99). Lilley and Skinner has shoes at 30 per cent off High Street prices.

Soled Out has a good range of shoes - Lacoste, Diesel, Red or Dead, Converse, etc., all last season's styles, all at least 30 per cent off.

Tommy Hilfiger, another big shop, has men's, ladies and children's clothes. Jackets for £35 (£70); trousers £16.50 (£55); tops £15 (£45).

Surf, Skate and Snow has Billabong T-shirts for £12 (£21); shirts for £20 (£40); surf shorts for £28 (£33), skateboards for £15 (£25), £25 (£44), £45 (£88).

Suits You has jackets at £80 (£99.95); Racing Green shirts at £30 (£49.95); Pierre Cardin suits £170 (£249).

There's also Furla, posh handbags - to go with your Joseph clothes, plus men's suits, Designer Room and other fashion outlets, including Roman Originals which stocks up to size 22.

Stile Italy has some very classy kitchen equipment. Functional and beautiful to look at - coffee cups, coffee makers, big plastic salad bowls for £14, pasta pans for £24.99. The Design House has towelling bathrobes for £9.99 (£29.99); bath sheets for £9.99 (£19.99); Churchill at more than 30 per cent off; cutlery sets for £9.99 (£29.99); Harry Potter duvet covers for £19.99 (£29.99).

At other shops we found such varied delights as a Barbie Travel Train for £19.99 (£49.99); a Goretex jacket for £99 (£149), an inflatable armchair for £15, an inflatable basketball hoop for £8 and lots of crystal vases. Watches included Rotary for £135 (£250); Fossil bangle at £45.50 (£65) and Avia at £18.95 (£29.95).

Not many empty spaces, other stores on their way. You can even have your car valeted while you shop.

* DALTON PARK, Murton, Co. Durham. Just off the A19 and clearly signposted. Open daily 10am-6pm (8pm Thurs); Sundays 11am-5pm.