Video suites, which could speed up investigations, are to be created in four County Durham police stations.

The equipment, capable of staging an identification parade within two hours, is to be installed as part of a countywide move.

Durham Police Constabulary will invest £120,000 setting up the equipment in Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Durham and Peterlee. The move in is line with a national trend to move away from traditional identification parades, which usually comprise of a row of volunteers and one suspect.

The equipment means a parade can be prepared and organised within minutes and viewed on a computer screen- saving time, money and anguish of witnesses.

The system will meet national standards, follow strict procedures and will be linked directly to a central bureau in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Suspects will be taken to the suite to be photographed and the image stored on computer.

Similar subjects, from the 8,000-plus photographs stored on the central database, will be added to the line-up when it is transmitted to Wakefield for authentication.

Witnesses are then able to view the line-up on a computer or laptop screen, which can be done from the home of the elderly or vulnerable.

The system, known as Viper, will cater for all nationalities and other forces already using it have reported a 40 per cent positive identification rate, compared with 18 per cent using live parades.

Assistant Chief Constable Ron Hogg said facilities in the four divisions were inadequate and that the cost of the new system would be recoverable from the Home Office.

Acting Inspector Chris Thompson, of the Bishop Auckland division, said: "It will work around-the-clock, so has the potential to reduce the time spent on investigations considerably and enable us to complete a parade while a suspect is still in custody.

"Obviously this reduces the risks associated with them being released on bail and one of the most important benefits is to witnesses."

He said although subjects of a live parade do not see the witness it can still be an intimidating experience.