BOOZED-up yobs have contributed to a huge rise in drink fuelled disorder on the region's railways.

The British Transport Police's annual report shows that public disorder offences - largely caused by alcohol - have shot up by 36 per cent year-on-year, from 253 to 344.

Incidents of violent crime were also up from 605 to 625 between 2003/4 and 2004/5, a rise of 3.3 per cent.

However, most types of crime were down, reflecting a six per cent overall drop in the total number of recorded crimes in the North-East from 6,437 to 6,049.

Offences of robbery were down 23.1 per cent, from 65 to 50, and crimes involving motor vehicles and cycles dropped by 26.7 per cent, from 1,004 to 736.

Thefts of both passenger and railway property were also down and instances of fraud were down 25 per cent.

So-called line of route offences, involving trespass and vandalism on the railway, fell from 483 to 451, a drop of 6.6 per cent, bucking a rising trend in recent years.

Commenting on the report, BTP Acting Inspector Dave McMenemy, who is based in Newcastle, admitted that a fair percentage of both public order and violent offences were due to drunkenness.

He said: "Assaults and other types of crime such as verbal abuse, people urinating and so on, often occur when the perpetrator is under the influence of alcohol and drugs."

Asked about the impact of extended licensing hours being introduced, Acting Insp McMenemy said: "It is something that we are going to have to keep a close eye on and react accordingly.

"The railway is generally a safe and secure place for people to work and travel and British Transport Police does its utmost to ensure the environment remains that way."

Officers from British Transport Police were involved in an operation last weekend in Middlesbrough to crackdown on drink-fuelled violence, which led to 22 arrests.

There have also been a handful of serious incidents at rail stations in the region in the last year involving drink or drugs.

Earlier this month a 26-year-old man was stabbed in the chest as he waited for a train at Heighington railway station, near Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

John Gelson, a spokesman for East Coast Main Line operator GNER, said: "We have a zero tolerance attitude towards alcohol related incidents that can occur on the railway."

Mr Gelson described how the firm planned to permanently gate access to more and more station platforms by installing barriers.

The move, already used successfully at Newcastle railway station on football match days and at this year's Royal Ascot at York, enables staff to screen passengers who may be under the influence of drink and prevent them from getting onto trains.

Overall, in England and Wales the total number of crimes recorded by BTP fell to 59,609, down 2.3 per cent.

Chief Constable Ian Johnston said the London bombs in July had overshadowed a successful year the organisation had in fighting crime on the railways.