A SCHEME putting extra resources into policing some of Britain's most deprived communities is being extended to County Durham.

Home Secretary David Blunkett announced the first group of four policing priority areas last March, in a White Paper on police reforms.

Under the scheme, they each received £250,000 from the Police Standards Unit, with the promise of further money for specific projects.

Yesterday, Home Office Minister Bob Ainsworth said the scheme was being extended to another five of the country's 88 most deprived areas, including Easington.

He said the extension followed significant success in reducing crime and providing public reassurance in the existing priority areas.

He said: "I am pleased that we are able to extend the positive experiences of the policing priority areas to more regions where they are most needed to tackle crime and improve public reassurance.

"The policing priority areas have demonstrated how targeting small communities with particular problems can bring about significant improvements.

"It is vital that those neighbourhoods facing particular difficulties receive the expert advice and support they need to engage communities and build partnerships to include the police, local residents, and crime and disorder reduction partnerships."

In Easington, partnerships involving the police, fire brigade, council, and residents are tackling problems including arson, drugs, anti-social behaviour, and thefts.

Between January and March, the force achieved a 67 per cent drop in vehicle fires and fitted 3,000 free smoke detectors in almost 2,000 homes in the area.

They also seized the county's biggest drugs haul, and achieved a 21 per cent reduction in burglaries.

Chief Superintendent Trevor Watson, Easington district divisional commander, said: "In Easington, we do have specific levels of deprivation across the district, but we also have in place excellent partnership arrangements.

"The challenge for us is to demonstrate what can be further achieved through these partnership arrangements.

"We are currently working hard to establish exactly which location would benefit most from the initiative."