VULNERABLE people across Teesside are to be given more support with the help of two new specialist units.

Cleveland Police is providing the vulnerability units, one for the north of the area and the other for the south. They will each house a team of specially trained officers and staff.

The units will deal with domestic abuse, child abuse investigations and vulnerable adult abuse investigations. There will be staff specially trained to deal with specific problems.

Deputy Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, Derek Bonnard, said: "The new units have come about from a review of our domestic abuse structures and staffing.

"This reorganisation puts us in a better position to provide a more effective and improved service to protect and support vulnerable people.

"The objective is to increase the number of prosecutions and convictions for domestic abuse, as well as facilitating a more co-ordinated approach to crimes that cut across different vulnerability areas."