A PROGRAMME to fight crime in Darlington by targeting drug addicts is to be set up with the help of a £190,000 Government grant.

The scheme, to be run by the North-East Council on Addictions, will offer prolific drugs offenders help in overcoming their addiction, with the hope of reducing drugs-related crime.

The cash, from the Government's Recovered Assets Fund (RAF), will pay for two full-time workers for three years, probably based at the Elmfield Clinic, in Elmfield Street.

Stuart Thompson, the council's principal services manager, said the money was much needed.

"We have been given the money on the basis of how it's going to help reduce crime," he said. "What we will be doing is targeting prolific offenders, those whose motivational levels will be extremely low, and getting them to speak to a drugs adviser.

"Drugs are a problem anywhere in the North-East and Darlington has its proportional share of that. It won't just be opiate users, it will also be cocaine users. people taking cocaine tend to binge on it so a lot of prolific crime can take place to fund that sort of addiction."

The £189,612 award was announced this week by Home Office minister Bob Ainsworth.