A TELEVISION service relaying crime prevention and community safety messages to the public was launched yesterday.

CSPtv, Easington Community Safety Partnership's television information network, went live to screens in public buildings across east Durham.

Pictures were beamed to nine locations fitted with monitors, including police station waiting areas, shopping and leisure centres, and council offices.

The community safety partnership, which includes police, fire brigade, probation service, council and business representatives, won funding from the Government Office North-East to cover the £55,000 bill for the first year of the scheme.

But sponsors and advertisers are being sought to help meet the cost in future years, to ensure CSPtv develops and expands.

Easington's police commander, Chief Superintendent Trevor Watson, said the groundbreaking scheme has attracted wide interest.

He said: "We feel the partnership is doing an awful lot of good work to reduce crime and make people more safe in the community, but it is a case of getting the message across.

"This is one way of delivering information about the partnership and our community safety strategy, as well as giving useful crime prevention advice and appeals for public help in detecting crime.

"It is estimated that 136,200 people have access to these places in one week, so that gives us the opportunity to promote our message to 136,200 members of the public."

Chief Supt Watson said in the case of missing people, their details could be circulated on the system within minutes of a report being made to police, possibly helping to save lives.

It will also feature regularly updated news, sport and weather bulletins.

Jeremy Earley, managing director of the company which will operate the system, Crimewise, said: "CSPtv gives the partnership an extra dimension in its communication with the public.

"The people of Easington can actually see the benefits of the vital work being undertaken by their community safety partnership."

The system was switched on by partnership member John Poland, the managing director of Metro Mail, in Peterlee.