WITNESSES attending a magistrates' court will be given mobile phones to reduce their wait to give evidence.

The six-week pilot project, at Darlington Magistrates' Court, believed to be the first in the country, will begin in the new year.

Staff will supply witnesses with a mobile phone to allow them to leave the court building to go shopping, work or return home.

Court administrators and the Witness Care Service have drawn up the proposals to provide the best possible care for witnesses.

Staff will monitor how cases are progressing and contact witnesses by phone when they are needed to give evidence.

Royston Dent, head of performance and operations for the court service, said: "We know it is often difficult for some people to attend court and give evidence.

"That is why we are trying this experiment with mobile phones to try and make witnesses as comfortable as possible."

A recording system will be used to ensure the phone is returned.

Mr Dent said: "It builds on all sorts of initiatives we have introduced in the past which, by and large, have been very successful. It is a pilot and we hope it is successful and we will hopefully extend it to other courts in the county."

Other improvements at the court include separate waiting rooms for prosecution and defence witnesses and televisions to occupy people until their case is called.

Paul Newby, witness liaison officer for Her Majesty's Court Service (HMCS), said: "This is another important addition to the service we are providing for witnesses attending court.

"If the trial is successful, we will look to introduce this scheme to other courthouses in County Durham."

Only one mobile will be used during the trial period.

HMCS and the witness service will monitor its performance before deciding whether to continue with it or extend it to other courts.

HMCS said it did not know of any other such initiatives in the UK.