A major crime-busting initiative designed to tackle "vermin" drug dealers has been launched in Darlington.

The Rat on a Rat campaign will encourage residents to spill the beans on dealers in the town by calling a crime-fighting 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 help spread the message.

This includes posters displayed in dozens of Stagecoach buses, 10,000 beer mats distributed to 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.

"It also sends a strong message to anyone else thinking of becoming involved in the supply of drugs."

The initiative was pioneered originally by the Metropolitan Police. It also ran during June and July last year in Chester-le-Street, a highly successful campaign 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.

Karen Grundy, prevention co-ordinator for substance misuse with Darlington Borough Council, said: "What we hope is that 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. We're wanting to disrupt the drugs market."

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 also included heroin, ecstasy and amphetamine.

Coun Bill Dixon, chairman of Darlington Drug Action Team, said: "The campaign enlists the help of the whole community, not just those on the front line of crime fighting, to flush out this potentially deadly and damaging menace.

"It gives everyone the chance to safely blow the whistle on those who deserve to be exposed and punished."