A MAJOR crime-busting initiative designed to tackle drug dealers has been launched in a North-East town.

The Rat on a Rat campaign will encourage residents to inform on dealers in Darlington by calling a hotline.

By ringing the freephone Crimestoppers number, 0800 555111, people can help police tackle the dealers - whose activities spread misery and disease - as well as related incidents such as shootings, domestic violence and assaults.

The Northern Echo is backing a publicity blitz across the town to spread the message.

This will include posters on dozens of Stagecoach buses, 10,000 beer mats distributed across the town's pubs, and thousands of leaflets delivered to homes.

Detective Chief Inspector Ian Macdonald, of Darlington police, said: "The people supplying drugs are not glamorous people, they are the lowest of the low and basically sell human misery.

"Rat on a Rat provides a way for decent, law-abiding people to help us target these criminals."

The initiative was pioneered by the Metropolitan Police, but it also ran last summer in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, a highly successful campaign - also supported by The Northern Echo - which led to raids on the homes of suspected dealers.

The Darlington campaign, paid for by the Government's Communities Against Drugs fund, is administered by the town's Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.

PC Jim Gratton was instrumental in researching and coordinating it.

Karen Grundy, prevention coordinator for substance misuse with Darlington Borough Council, said maximum disruption of the drugs market was planned.

"We hope it will give the police a good picture of what is going on and for us to be able to take some of the drug dealers off the streets," she said.

Last year, a total of 251 arrests were made for drugs offences in Darlington and 381 seizures made.

The majority were for cannabis resin, but the total also included heroin, Ecstasy and amphetamine.

Last week, 14 people were arrested and a quantity of cannabis and Ecstasy was seized as part of a two-night anti-drugs operation targeting pubs and clubs in the town.

Police and sniffer dogs carried out more than 50 searches on drinkers during Thursday and Friday nights.