A car insurance survey has found huge differences in cost across the North-East.

The survey by the AA measured an average couple with a clean licence and accident-free record driving a Ford Focus car in postal areas throughout the country.

The most expensive city for car insurance in the North-East was Newcastle, with average annual premiums weighing in at £459. In Sunderland, average premiums were £418 and in Middlesbrough the figure was £394.

Smaller towns fared much better with Stockton at £325 and Darlington at £328.

Drivers in North Yorkshire find the cost based on information used by the survey is even cheaper. An annual premium in Scarborough was £290 and in York it was £292.

The AA said that it was difficult for motorists to insulate themselves from rising car insurance costs which rose last year by an average of £30.

But it was clear that where drivers lived was a big factor in the annual insurance premium.

Kerry Richardson, managing director of AA Insurance Services, said: "Inner cities are clearly a bigger risk to insurers as cars are more likely to be involved in accidents because of the weight of traffic and have a greater chance of being broken into or stolen.

"Motorists may not want to take the drastic option of moving house to get cheaper car insurance, but they can reduce their costs by shopping around."