A town centre church is campaigning for closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera coverage to combat crime.

Drinkers and drug users are using the grounds of St Cuthbert's church, near Darlington's Market Place.

Parishioners have found hypodermic needles, excretement and beer bottles in the churchyard.

Last month, a fire was started in an underground room after someone pushed burning paper through an air hole in one of the church doors.

The Reverend Robert Williamson, vicar at St Cuthbert's church, was in the building conducting a wedding rehearsal when the incident happened, and called the fire brigade.

Luckily the church was not badly damaged.

A group of young boys had been spotted in the churchyard just before the fire started.

Mr Williamson believes one of them may have been responsible.

He said: "We have had quite a few problems, particularly in the entrance area of the church centre.

"It has been an ongoing problem for quite some time.

"We have tried and tried to get a CCTV camera installed. It would help tremendously to cut down crime."

He said the problems were unpleasant for parishioners.

"Old ladies use the entrance when they come to the centre for coffee mornings and they don't want to see this," he added.

Mr Williamson said he had asked Darlington Borough Council for help in installing a camera on several occasions.

However, so far the church's efforts had been unsuccessful, he said.

The vicar, who has been at St Cuthbert's for three years, said: "We have approached the council but nothing has been done.

"We would be prepared to raise some of the money needed to buy a CCTV camera but we could not possibly raise all the money.

"The cameras are very expensive," he said.

The council was not available for comment yesterday.

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact Darlington police on (01325) 467681 or to ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555111