A PROFESSIONAL ‘dial-a-witness’ scheme is being launched in north Durham to help people affected by anti-social behaviour.

The witness flying squad will be a phone call away to help Chester-le-Street residents affected by unruly nuisance.

Cestria Community Housing tenants will be able to access the free and confidential iWitness service from the beginning of June.

Using handheld recording equipment and wearing bodycams, iWitness officers can be on site within 30 minutes of receiving a call about an incident that is taking place.

Once there, they will observe and record what is happening and provide accurate and credible witness statements for Cestria officers by the start of the next working day.

Cestria Housing manager Carol Kay said: "We want residents to feel safe and secure in their homes, so we’re delighted this innovative scheme has now been extended to Cestria tenants.

“Our ASB team already works hard to crack down on incidents and now iWitness will allow us to continue to do that even when our office is closed – that’s 24 hours a day coverage, 365 days a year.

“No-one wants to live in an environment where there are problems with noise, offensive behaviour or other disturbances, so iWitness will be a valuable tool in our armoury when dealing with anti-social behaviour.”

Anti-social behaviour can include incidents of excessive noise, offensive behaviour, verbal abuse, violence, including threats of violence, harassment, hate crime and criminal activity.

Operating out-of-hours, the initiative is designed to strengthen the work already being carried out by the housing association’s own dedicated ASB staff, helping to speed up action against perpetrators.

The scheme is delivered by external contractors The Protector Group, a Gateshead security company, and first launched by local housing provider Isos Housing in 2014.

Now that Cestria has joined the group its tenants can access the scheme.

Acting Chief Inspector Keith Wardle, of Durham Constabulary, said: “Police work very closely with our partners to address anti-social behaviour.

“Housing providers play a key role in identifying perpetrators who have a huge impact on the quality of residents’ lives within the local community.

“We would welcome any scheme that addresses anti-social behaviour issues promptly and that provides a better service to victims.”