A FORMER Home Office minister who set up many of Labour's anti-crime schemes visited a Chester-le-Street initiative.

Alum Michael MP dropped in at the award-winning Avenues Resource Centre on Friday, to see how it is operating.

The centre brings together local people, police, council and community groups to fight crime and improve the quality of life on the troubled Avenues estate.

Chester-le-Street District Council has worked with the police and used evictions and anti-social behaviour orders to try to make life safer