POLICE and community groups have welcomed a major audit into crime in Derwentside, which showed crime falling by 15 per cent across the district.

But the figures also show that violent crime has risen significantly in the district, making it one of the highest in County Durham.

The results will be digested by Derwentside police's new divisional commander, Chief Supt Ian Irwin, who replaces Durham City-bound Eric Irwin.

The audit reveals that the drop in crime comes despite the fact that the area is one of the most deprived in the country.

Insp Ian Proud, of Derwentside Community Safety Partnership, which is made up of police, councillors, council officers and community groups, said its work had played a part in the fall of crime.

Stanley-based Insp Proud said: "It would be easy for me just to say 'it's down to good policing,' but there's more to it than that.

"One major reason for the fall is to do with the work of the partnership itself. Things like installing CCTV cameras, working with young people, the work of the Drugs Action Team and car park schemes have all helped.

"We do have a particular problem with violent crime but we find a lot of it is alcohol and substance abuse related. We will be working on strategies for that and hope the next three years of our partnership is as productive as the first three seem to have been."

Derwentside District Council community safety officer Tom Clifford said the statistics should be treated with caution.

He said: "We are reasonably pleased but certainly not complacent. The statistics don't always tell the whole story. If your three streets are the worst in Derwentside you won't give a damn if the overall figures are down. The other thing is the fear of crime bears no relation to what is actually happening out there in any case.

"The violent crime figures have gone up but I would say that a lot of that is actually due to good policing. It means more people are being arrested.

"We'll continue with our non-exciting work talking to communities and groups to find ways to bring crime down further."

The Derwentside Community Safety Partnership will use the results to work on new strategies. The figures are based on police statistics from between April 1, 1998 and March 31, 2001.

Statistics close-up

DERWENTSIDE crime statistics between April 1, 1998, and March 31, 2001:

* The total number of recorded crimes fell by 15 per cent compared to a national increase of just over one per cent.

*The district has a higher proportion of violent crime than the rest of the county. Violent crime is running at 9.6 per cent compared to County Durham's 8.5 per cent.

*Stanley and Consett town centres have the highest rates of crime but it is falling in both places.

* Crime is rising in South Stanley and Annfield Plain, against the district trend.

* More than 85 per cent of all offenders referred to the probation service in the district are men, the majority of whom are under 24.

* A survey showed fear of crime is higher among young people than older residents, women are more worried than men. Gangs of young people and drug use were identified as the district's most serious problems, although car crime and burglary were what those surveyed were most worried about personally. Despite having a higher than average rate of violent crime concerns about being attacked were far lower in Derwentside than the national average.

* Unemployment is twice the rate of the national average at eight per cent, 18 per cent of Derwentside residents are thought to have low or very low literacy and 40 per cent low or very low numeracy and the district is the 45th most deprived out of 354 in England and Wales.