POLICE have gone on the beat in Wear Valley with an open invitation to local people to make themselves known to them.

Eight officers from Crook will be spending their working days and nights tackling community issues in towns and villages from Weardale to Willington.

Their brief is to work in partnership with schools, clubs, businesses and groups in each area, and be responsible for sorting out long-term problems.

Inspector George Ledger said yesterday: "We are asking people to make themselves known to the officers and work with them on the ground.

"This is a real partnership between police and the local communities and it is what people have told us they want to see. We want residents to identify with the officers who will be our eyes and ears on the ground.

"We need to build on these contacts to work in partnership with all sections of each community."

PC Dawn Clarke will cover Stanhope and Frosterley, Ian Craggs is in Wolsingham, Karl Hopps has an established beat in Tow Law, Phil McElhone is at Witton-le-Wear and Howden, Graham Milne and Kelly Hawkes will share Crook, Roddymoor and Billy Row, and Steve Barker and Simon Schofield are working from a new office in the Willington Resource Centre, covering Willington, Sunnybrow, Hunwick and Oakenshaw.