CAR crime at Darlington's main railway station has been slashed by 50 per cent in two years as a result of the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance.

Great North Eastern Railways (GNER) has released figures showing that car crime has been dramatically reduced at Bank Top station since the cameras were installed.

They were funded by a £170,000 Home Office grant and were installed by Darlington Borough Council.

The money was awarded on the understanding that car crime would be reduced by a minimum of 30 per cent by 2005, but this target has already been exceeded.

The cameras are linked to the council's central control system, where images are monitored 24 hours a day by trained staff.

The figures show that by the end of July only seven car crimes had been reported at the station this year, compared with 33 in the year the cameras were installed.

David Mallender, from GNER, said: "Car and personal security are important to our passengers and we are very pleased with the success of this joint venture, which has almost eliminated car crime at the station.

"We will continue to work hard to deter and detect crime at all of our stations, through partnership with local authorities and the police."

Twenty five cameras cover car parks in Darlington and there are plans to install three more soon.

Car crime throughout the town has reduced dramatically since the cameras were first trained on the car parks.

The station crime figures were released just days after the council announced it was spending £200,000 on nine new cameras for the Stanhope Park and college areas of town.

There will also be cameras installed in High Northgate. That will bring the total number operating in the town to 33.

Since cameras were trained on Darlington's Firthmoor estate, crime there has been reduced by 40 per cent.

Stephen Harker, council cabinet member for community protection said: "CCTV cameras have proved to be an effective deterrent against crime and a valuable investment for the town.

"It is wonderful news to see the success we have had in the town centre being replicated in other areas of the town."