Northumbria and Durham forces have improved in reducing crime

In key areas it scored excellent for reducing crime and local policing, and good for investigating crime.

Durham Police showed an improvement in reducing crime, rated excellent, while Cumbria was excellent in citizen focus.

Cleveland Police force showed an improvement on last year's results, rated good in promoting safety.

Forces were rated on seven key areas - investigating and cutting crime, providing help, resource use, promoting safety, local policing and community confidence in the police.

The 43 forces across England and Wales were judged first against their peers using excellent, good, fair and poor judgements, then against previous performance.

Motivated workforce

In the key areas, Cleveland was rated good in one and fair in six areas.

Chief Constable Shaun Price said the force had made significant progress and the service offered to the public now was better that it had been for some years.

Neighbouring Durham Police was rated excellent in one area, good in three and fair in the remaining three categories.

Cumbria was excellent in one area, good in two and fair in four areas.

Coming out top in the region and among the best in the country was Northumbria Police which was rated excellent in two areas, good in four and fair in one.

Chief Constable Mike Craik said: "Law-breakers need to understand that this is a highly-skilled and motivated workforce which is determined to stop them in their tracks.

"This assessment is a sound reflection on the energy and commitment which all officers and police staff have put into reducing crime and disorder."