AN area fighting back from hundreds of job losses was hailed as a shining example by Prime Minister Tony Blair on a trip to the North-East yesterday.

Mr Blair visited a business centre in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, to see how a regeneration scheme has turned the fortunes around for an area which suffered 800 redundancies in one year alone.

Mr Blair's visit came on the day workers from a company in nearby Shildon were told their jobs were at risk as their car parts factory was closing.

But he was upbeat as he opened the new business centre, Innovation House, on South Church Enterprise Park, which is seen as a symbol of the area's economic revival.

Most of the 16 units within the development, which offers access to the latest technology and business support agencies, were occupied before it was officially opened.

Mr Blair said: "To make the economy work we need a partnership approach. This is a good example of local and central government, agencies and businesses coming together for the good of small start-up firms that can get the help they need to expand.

"The economy is changing all the time and unfortunately jobs will come and go. These initiatives help to ensure they come again."

Mr Blair also launched two pioneering projects in east Durham and witnessed the launch of a police initiative at Hardwick Hall, in Sedgefield.

At Wingate Community Centre, the Prime Minister gave his backing to two initiatives aimed at giving a voice to young people in the Easington District.

Mr Blair was also at Durham Constabulary's Streetsafe initiative, at Hardwick Hall, Sedgefield.

He told police chiefs and dignitaries that what people wanted to see was more police presence but said communities had to help the efforts.

"What we want is to put the ordinary law-abiding citizens back at the centre of the system," he said. "It is about quality of life.

"The police can only do so much, the Government can only do so much. We can pass the right laws and have worked hard with the police for anti-social behaviour orders."