SENIOR police officers said changes to policing patterns in south Durham will not affect rural communities.

Residents of Teesdale have been told they will get a better service.

From next year, the police will switch from a four-shift system to a five-shift system.

Response manager Chief Inspector Dave Orford told Teesdale's Police Community Consultative Group the system will see more resources at increased demand times.

He said the changes would result in an extra sergeant at Barnard Castle police station.

Also, the new system will provide greater flexibility because police from other areas could be called in to respond to incidents in the dale.

Operations manager Superintendent Andy Summerbell pointed to a recent example of police flexibility where six men from Darlington were caught in a Teesdale Farmwatch operation.

Because Darlington police were dealing with a murder inquiry and serious assault, Bishop Auckland police were called on.

Barnard Castle community inspector Kevin Tuck said: "I'll be fighting with the chief inspector to have locally based and locally accountable constables.

"I would always hope that we'll have that base of local officers with local knowledge and expertise."

Supt Summerbell added that the south area was committed to locally-based policing and rural areas would not suffer as a result of any changes to the police structure.