ALLEGATIONS that children as young as three are running riot near Prime Minister Tony Blair's North-East home have been rejected by a housing association.

It had been claimed that cars and houses were regularly attacked, and elderly residents harassed in Trimdon Station, County Durham. Mr Blair lives at Myrobella House, in nearby Trimdon Village.

But Anthony Fellows, acting regional head for Home Housing, which rents out half the 200 properties in the area, was unaware of major problems:

"We do have difficulty occasionally with residents, but so does every estate in the country, Trimdon isn't any different.

"The reports of Home Housing using video surveillance to trap those committing offences have also been exaggerated."

The association has a video camera and telescopic lens, but emphasises they are used across the region, and only when residents become constant troublemakers.

"Surveillance is only used when we receive numerous complaints about residents, and that is something that every housing association experiences," said Mr Fellows.

Durham Police have also played down reports of children running riot at Trimdon Station, saying they would be happy to assist Home Housing to see if there were problems.

There is already a high level of security in the area around Mr Blair's constituency home.

Mr Fellows said: "Trimdon isn't the trouble spot it has been portrayed as."

"Home Housing works closely with the Trimdon Station Residents' Association and, with support from them and the police, we are keeping Trimdon as trouble free as possible.