Police urge scrap metal dealers to be vigilant

Metal merchants are being urged to sign up to a police scheme to curb the illegal sale of scrap metal in County Durham.

Police are targeting businesses in Sedgefield, the Wear Valley and Teesdale and urging them to make sure they know where their metal has come from.

Denham Metal Merchants, in Shildon and Bells, Bishop Auckland, has joined the scheme and customers selling scrap now have to show ID.

They will also have to demonstrate that they are the legal owner of any vehicles they wish to have scrapped.