THERE is a cover-up culture' at troubled Cleveland Police which needs to end, an MP has told the Policing Minister.

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Simon Clarke met with police minister Kit Malthouse for talks about last month's inspection report which showed the force as failing in every area.

And the minister has agreed to visit Teesside soon to see the problems – and any potential turnaround – for himself.

It was the first time a police force had received such a damning assessment from the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).

The report showed that vulnerable victims, including children, were being put at risk by the force's poor processes and that response time figures had been 'fiddled' by downgrading the urgency of crimes.

The force was found to be poor at catching criminals, investigating crimes, and preventing crime, inspectors said.

The force is now in the equivalent of special measures.

After his meeting with Mr Malthouse, Mr Clarke said: “We both agreed that we have been impressed by new Chief Constable Richard Lewis, but Kit is under no illusions about how serious the issues are.

“The inspectors' report has done genuine good because it has once and for all ended any sense in Whitehall that the situation on Teesside is in any way normal or acceptable, and I emphasised that we are all sick and tired of our Force being in this position.

"People wouldn't put up with it London and we shouldn't have to put up with it here.

“I said I welcomed the announcement that Barry Coppinger is standing down in May as things were never going to improve on his watch, or while Labour MPs were trying to protect him.

“This autumn must be a turning point and Kit is meeting the Force and the inspectors on a regular basis to personally monitor improvement.

"He also agreed he will come to Teesside in the near future to hear about the issues on the ground. The situation is immensely concerning but I'm determined we will now end the cover-up culture of pretending things are ok when they aren't.”

Cleveland Police had a 17.6 per cent increase in crime in the year to March, the third highest crime rate per population of all police forces in England and Wales, while homicides were up to 13 the previous year, up from an average of one to three. Chief Constable Lewis has vowed to stay and turn the force around.