FIVE years ago, this week, it was revealed police forces across the region were taking far longer to reach emergencies.

The Labour Party blamed Government cuts for the sharp rise in 999 response times.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper spoke on the impacts vulnerable victims would face due to responding delays.

She said: "These figures show front-line policing is being badly hit.

"Not only is neighbourhood police disappearing, vulnerable victims are waiting up to 30 per cent longer for the police to arrive.

"This is the hollowing out of the police service and victims are paying the price."

Figures released showed that for the highest priority 999 calls, made between 11pm and 6am.

Durham force took an average of eight minutes and ten seconds to respond to such calls in 2011, but that time rose to ten minutes and 44 seconds last year.

Durham Police Chief Inspector Stu Exley said the figures related to a period when the force was restructuring.

He said: "In 2010, we achieved a target for response times 90 per cent of the time, but that fell to 88 per cent in 2012. In the current year to date, that figure has risen to 92 per cent.

“The immediate response target for incidents is to attend 90 per cent within 15 minutes in urban areas and within 20 minutes in rural areas."

Meanwhile, television stars spoke out in a bid to try and raise awareness about a debilitating condition.

Actors Claire Sweeney and John Thomson took time out of rehearsals at Darlington Hippodrome to back Diabetes UK’s hard-hitting awareness campaign.

The Diabetes UK campaign used adverts in shopping centres, billboards, on the radio and on public transport, to make clear the impact type two diabetes can have on people and their families.

Also, that week, firefighters warned the Government that further action may be taken following a long-running pension dispute.

Union leaders reported solid support across the country for a four-hour strike, which they said was called as a last resort forced by the Government's refusal to negotiate.

Hundreds of firefighters across the region joined the action. Most services, saw a significant reduction in the number of emergency incidents it attended.

Stuart Errington, deputy chief fire officer, said: "We would encourage both the Government and the FBU to return to the negotiating table to try to resolve their differences, so that further strike action can be avoided."