ARMED police have begun setting up stop checks on roads across the North-East in the run-up to the Labour Party Conference.
Drivers were stopped on the A167 at the Angel of the North, in Gateshead, where vehicles were checked by Northumbria Police officers helped by their explosives sniffer dog Harvey.
Hundreds of Labour Party members are expected to attend the three-day conference at the Sage Gateshead starting next Friday.
A police spokesman said last night: "This is part of the build-up to the policing of the Labour Party Conference.
"The officers are part of our well-planned co-ordinated operation to protect the people of the region and those attending the conference.
"While there is no specific intelligence to suggest that the conference or Tyneside will be targeted by terrorists, people are asked to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious to the police."
Police are conducting their operations under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act.
Drivers on road, including the A1 Western By-Pass, A69 and Felling By-pass have been stopped and checked as part of the measures.
Police are not revealing where the operations are to be staged, but the security crackdown will continue until the conference finishes on February 13.
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