EMERGENCY services in Bishop Auckland are holding a safety event today.  (Saturday, November 15) 

Police officers from the neighbourhood team and the roads policing unit will be at Sainsbury's car park, on St Helen Retail Park from 10.30am to 5pm.

They will be available to talk about issues that cause concern to local people, give home and personal security advice and carry out bike marking.

The County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service will have units and officers at the event to discuss fire safety related topics, including nuisance fires and fire safety.

On the run-up to Christmas and as national campaigns on the subject begin, people will also be able to take a look at a badly damaged car to demonstrate the very real consequences of drink-driving.

There will also be the opportunity to try out a simulator which shows the effects of alcohol on peoples’ ability to drive.

PCSO Lee Blaney, from the Bishop Auckland neighbourhood policing team, said: “There are certain times of year when the same issues rear their heads for the emergency services due to the weather and what’s going on in peoples’ social lives.

“We’ve put this event together to remind people how they can avoid becoming a victim of such incidents. We want as many people as possible to come along to receive some advice on how they can stay safe, either from crime or from other risks at this time of year.

“We also want this to be something fun that you can bring your kids to, so we’ll have fire engines and police cars for them to have a sit in.

"However, we’ll also be telling them some important road safety messages while we’re talking to them."

Future events are also planned and will be advertised on the team's Facebook page or anyone with concerns or questions can call 101 for the Bishop Auckland neighbourhood policing team.