Victims are regularly being sent to refuges outside the region

Chf Con Mike Craik said the case, which happened earlier this month, was "unacceptable" and urged councils to provide more alternatives.

The woman and her children refused to travel south and slept on sofas for two days at a refuge in the region.

The plea comes at the end of a force-wide campaign targeting abusers.

'Turned away'

Mr Craik said: "It can't be acceptable that someone should be sent so far away from the rest of their family at a time of real distress.

"We will now work with partners to help identify what gaps exist in support services, especially refuge provision."

Staff at Wearside Women in Need, which has refuges in Sunderland and Washington, said they found places for 640 people last year but had to turn away 1,516 because of a lack of space.

Director Claire Phillipson said: "People with children are being sent outside the north-east of England on a regular basis and they are being turned away because there is not enough spaces."

She said local authorities had a statutory obligation to provide one safe room for a parent and their children per 10,000 people.

Refuges are built and funded using a combination of government money and charity fund raising.