CRIME fighting in Darlington received a boost yesterday with the news that a £180,000 bid to extend the town's closed-circuit television (CCTV) system has been shortlisted for approval.

The bid for money from the Home Office includes cash for two new schemes that will be linked to the existing CCTV network.

A total of £120,000 is set aside for six cameras to be situated in the Stanhope Park area, covering the Arts Centre, the Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, Stanhope Road and Duke Street.

A further £40,000 is being set aside for three cameras to be installed at High Northgate, covering North Road from the Northgate roundabout to Morrison's supermarket.

Elsewhere in the town, schemes worth more than £400,000 to install 13 cameras on the Firth Moor estate and link GNER's closed-circuit system at Bank Top railway station to the town hall control room, are nearing completion.

Councillor Stephen Harker, Darlington Borough Council's cabinet member for community protection, said: "It is really good news to have another bid shortlisted, but there is still some work to be done. We now have eight weeks to prepare a final bid, with further technical details and send it to the Home Office for approval."

The town centre cameras were installed in 1994 at a cost of £750,000. Forty cameras provide 24-hour coverage of the town and live pictures are relayed to the town hall control room. Since the cameras were installed they have helped the police make over 2,500 arrests.