A PROPERTY company has asked councillors to help it combat vandals.

Valued Properties Ltd applied to Wear Valley District Council for planning permission to build a security fence at the back of shops in Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland.

But members of the council's development control committee were advised to reject the plan because the fence was of the wrong design and in a prominent place.

A spokesman for the company attended a meeting of the committee to plead the case, saying the shops had been plagued by vandals for years.

He said: "The police have recommended this fence and at no time has the council told me it would be unsuitable.

"I have got a great investment there and I am proposing to spend an awful lot more in order to protect my tenants.''

Councillors were shown photographic evidence of the vandalism, which showed that garage doors had been wrecked.

After a lengthy discussion the committee members gave approval for the fence, saying that much investment was being made in the town and if they did not move to protect the rear of shops, tenants would eventually leave and this would mean empty units in the street.