HOME rule campaigners say they have received strong support for a North-East assembly among voters in Tony Blair's own backyard.

Activists carried out a door-to-door survey in towns and villages in the Prime Minister's Sedgefield constituency at the weekend.

Members of Campaign for a North-East Assembly (CNA) said they were encouraged by the response.

Now they are hoping to force a referendum and would like to see devolution for the region before the end of the current parliament.

Residents in Sedgefield village, Ferryhill, Trimdon, Chilton and Newton Aycliffe were asked if they agreed or disagreed with four statements.

l The People in the North-East need a stronger voice to represent the region.

l People in the North-East should have more democratic control over what happens in their region.

l A directly-elected assembly for the North-East should decide on issues such as generating jobs, developing major roads, public transport, education, health, the environment and regional cultural activities.

l People in the North-East should be given the opportunity in the next year to choose whether or not they want an elected assembly.

A similar survey a year ago found overwhelming support for devolution and, although the latest results have yet to be collated, CNA secretary Wendy Ross said she expected a largely positive response again.

"A big majority were in favour of all the statements, which was the same as we found last time," she said.

A BBC poll due to be published this week is also expected to confirm support for devolution for the regions, which CNA members hope to use to back their case.

Mrs Ross said: "We've always been told that the people asking for devolution need to demonstrate that there is a demand for it, and we believe there is a real demand.

"It is not just our campaigners but the majority of people who want it, and this is one of the ways to show that and to put pressure on to have a referendum to give people the chance to vote for it."

Mrs Ross added: "We would like to see the referendum within the lifetime of this parliament. We would also like to see the assembly created within the lifetime of this parliament.

"The Labour Party had a manifesto commitment that, if there was a demand, there would be devolution for the regions."