THE crime rate in one of the safest places in the country looks set to drop further.

So far this year, 284 crimes have been reported in Teesdale, County Durham.

If the trend continues, there will have been a 12 per cent drop in crime since last year.

Police Inspector Kevin Tuck told members of Barnard Castle Town Council that the crime level was 25 crimes per 1,000 people.

He said: "The detection rate in Teesdale is 33 per cent - the highest in the county. However, it is still down slightly on last year and the challenge is to raise our detection rates."

Last year, Teesdale was voted the best value place to live in the country, in a survey that compared property prices with crime rates.

In April, the dale went an entire week where the only crime reported was an attempted shed break-in.

Inspector Tuck said successful initiatives, including three Farmwatch operations, had helped keep crime down.

There had also been targeted policing in hotspots such as Zetland Road and Scar Top, in Barnard Castle, and St Peter's School, in Gainford.

He said security cameras were introduced in Barnard Castle town centre following a spate of burglaries.