RESIDENTS of County Durham and Darlington have confidence in their police and generally feel safe, according to a new survey.

In County Durham, 69.6 per cent said the police and local council were dealing with anti-social behaviour and crime issues that mattered in their area.

In Darlington, the figure rose to 76.3 per cent.

Nine out of ten Darlington people said they were confident that overall the police do a good job. In County Durham, the figure was 87.5 per cent.

However, 38 per cent of County Durham and 33 per cent of Darlington people said they suffered from anti-social behaviour in their area, leading Durham Police, which covers both, to make the issue a priority for the year ahead.

Gillian Porter, Durham Police's head of performance, said: "The results are very encouraging and we believe are among the highest in the country."

Peter Thompson, chair of Durham Police Authority, said: "I am delighted at the outcome of the survey."

The study is linked to the British Crime Survey.