Police in County Durham and Teesside have carried out a series of raids to stop a gang of suspected fraudsters.

Four men were arrested after officers surrounded a house in Hilda Street, Darlington, this morning.

There were a further five arrests following raids on five properties in Middlesbrough and one in Normanby.

The nine people arrested are being questioned on suspicion of fraud at police stations in Durham, Stockton, South Bank and Middlesbrough.

A police spokesman said the raids were carred out following long investigations into suspected fraud on financial institutions, and involved cross-border co-operation between the two forces.