A SUCCESSFUL community safety initiative in Gateshead has been awarded a funding boost to enable its work to continue for the next two years.

Operation Blizzard, which aims to combat crime and disorder in the southern part of the borough, has attracted more than £114,000 of Home Office and Government funding to support the recruitment of eight neighbourhood relations officers.

Employed by the council and working alongside two uniformed police officers, the dedicated team will provide a visual deterrent to criminals and work within communities to offer victim support.

Based in an operation centre at Box Law, the neighbourhood relations team will work from 8.30am to 10pm to provide a presence on the streets of Wrekenton, Springwell, Beacon Lough, Low Fell, Birtley and Lamesley.

The funding comes as a result of the success of the project that has been operating in the area for the past year.

This smaller scale scheme, which has involved two neighbourhood relations officers and one police officer, has seen a drop in serious problems of drug supply and criminality by 50 per cent.