POLICE took 36 hours to respond to a call made by the Deputy Lieutenant of County Durham when his home was attacked by stone-throwing yobs, it was claimed last night.

Lieutenant Colonel Fred Phillips, 76, had just returned from a day out with his wife, June, when the couple heard a deafening knock at the side door of their home in Woodland Road, Darlington.

When the former Gurkha, who was appointed deputy lieutenant by the Queen, went to answer it, he found the door would not open because a gang of youths had bound the handle with tape.

The couple, who recently celebrated their golden wedding anniversary, also noticed four teenagers in a nearby churchyard throwing stones at their property.

Mrs Phillips said she telephoned Darlington police station in the hope that an officer would come out to arrest the youths, but said she got no answer.

Three phone calls later and the call was answered. Mrs Phillips said she was told a police officer would arrive in ten minutes.

About 36 hours later, the police eventually arrived - but only after the Phillips had made another two phone calls.

A call from a sergeant at the police station they had been promised also failed to materialise following the incident, on Bank Holiday Monday.

Mrs Phillips said: "These youths could easily have been caught if the police had arrived quickly. When they eventually answered the phone, I asked them if they had all gone home.

"They told me it was because of a shift change. We were told that they would be there in ten minutes, but it took them 36 hours to come out.

"We recognise that they have to prioritise, but we did not realise it would take that long.

"They were very sorry. We were told they didn't have as many police officers as they used to and we know they are overworked. I don't blame them. It is a shambles. The public is in jeopardy."

In a letter sent to The Northern Echo, Mrs Phillips said the public needed to badger the Government for better treatment and legislation.

A police spokesman said: "A copy of the letter sent by Lt Col and Mrs Phillips has now been forwarded to a senior officer in Darlington, who prom-ises to examine the contents and reply direct to Mr and Mrs Phillips."