A 70-year-old man is callously beaten in his own bed by robbers using a cosh. Covered in blood, he is left for dead.

This is the brutal reality of the fight against crime here in the North-East and another reminder of the need for urgent action to make our streets safer.

It coincides with the announcement by Home Secretary David Blunkett of a blitz on street-crime through the grand-sounding Robbery Reduction Initiative.

Predictably, there are some eye-catching phrases from Mr Blunkett as he talks of "reclaiming the streets" with definite echoes of the zero tolerance speeches made famous by a certain Ray Mallon.

There will be greater focus on increasing detection rates and a speeding up of sentencing. We are promised more officers on the streets and stronger support for victims and witnesses.

This is good news indeed - if it is delivered along with the tough-talking. For it is delivery which is letting down this Government and frustrating those who entrusted it with power.

We trust that the ten police forces challenged with making the Robbery Reduction Initiative work will be given the resources they need, and be freed from the red tape which is hampering their effectiveness.

What we find hard to understand is why it is only the police forces of London, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Avon and Somerset, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Thames Valley and Lancashire which have been selected.

In County Durham, Cleveland, Northumbria and North Yorkshire, we have street-crime too - just like every other area of Britain. Where is our Robbery Reduction Initiative?

Ask the 70-year-old man whose remaining years will be filled by the nightmares of how he was beaten in his own bed by two low-life cowards who get their kicks out of beating defenceless old men with sticks.

Ask him how urgently we need action to reclaim the streets.

WEAKER SEX?

WE already knew Tanni Grey-Thompson was a remarkable woman by virtue of her immense courage in becoming an outstanding athlete.

And her reputation was enhanced again yesterday when - just six weeks after giving birth - she completed the Redcar Half Marathon.

Another wonderful achievement. But the marathon of bringing up a child is only just starting - and that is the ultimate test of endurance.