COUNCILS and groups wanting to hang decorations from lampposts in County Durham will have to apply for a permit to ensure their safety.

Following a fatal accident in Gateshead five years ago, and other cases around the country where corroded lampposts collapsed, a rolling programme surveying the county's 75,000 lighting columns was started.

Now, subsidiary councils within the county, community organisations and other groups must apply for permission to put up decorations, signs and hanging baskets.

However, the county council has agreed to make the hanging of Christmas decorations exempt from the approval as there is less than six months until the festive season.

Applications must be made six months ahead of the proposed hanging, even on subsequent occasions if the column has been approved before.