WORLD-RENOWNED fingerprint experts from Durham will share their knowledge with police in the Middle East early next year.

Instructors from the National Fingerprint Training Centre, based at Durham Police headquarters, Aykley Heads, will travel to the Arab state of Oman, in February. They will deliver tuition to officers from the Royal Omani Police on the use of the forensic technique.

The death penalty still remains in Oman and investigators can sometimes make life-or-death decisions.

Durham's instructors have already delivered training to police in Singapore, Bahrain, Turkey, and twice in Oman. They also plan a trip to Botswana, in Africa.

Senior instructor Steve Bonnington said: "No matter where fingerprint comparisons are undertaken, nationally or internationally, the methods used for making an identification are the same.

"Integrity of the fingerprint system is essential. High performance levels must be adopted and maintained in order to maintain the reputation fingerprint evi-dence has - both in court and in the public's perception.

"There is undoubted talent among the Omani officers called to compare marks at the scene of a crime against possible offenders.

"When they are required to attend courts they are increasingly questioned about qualifications and training, and that is why we were approached to assist in accreditation."

The national training school has developed a growing reputation since its launch in 1992.

There is an increasing demand for the instructors to provide and develop fingerprint work for police forces across the world.

The first students from Singapore are expected to arrive in Durham next year to begin an advance fingerprint course to achieve "expert" status.