A COUPLE was filmed performing a sex act in front of horrified passers-by in broad daylight on a busy shopping street.

Officers in Darlington said they had now identified the pair and hope to speak to them at the first opportunity.

The couple were filmed by several people as they carried out the obscene act at 4.15pm on Friday on Bondgate, outside the Tapas Bar and the Old English Gentleman pub.

The videos have been shared on social media throughout last night and today.

Now police are investigating an offence of outraging public decency and were yesterday appealing for help in identifying the couple.

Management at both the Tapas Bar and the Old English Gentleman in Darlington are cooperating with police inquiries and neither had served the people involved in the incident, they said.

They are concerned one or both of the couple are vulnerable or were possibly on controlled substances, to have carried out such an act in such a public place.

The video was even being shared by a teenage boy on social media yesterday after witnessing the incident.

Inspector Simon Cowan, of Darlington Police, said this morning: "We can confirm the two people in the video have been identified and officers will be speaking to them at the earliest opportunity.

"We would like to thank members of the public for their assistance which has helped us to progress this investigation."

He said the officers were investigating the offence of outraging public decency.

“This was clearly witnessed by many people and I am aware it has also been circulated on social media," he said.

“I have concerns that people had to witness this at a time in a part of town were there were a lot of people out socialising, out to eat or doing some shopping.”

He said he thought the couple may have been under the influence of illegal substances and said: “This is absolutely a one-off incident. That is not something that happens regularly – if at all – in Darlington town centre during the day time. To put the public’s mind at rest, it is an isolated incident.”

Anyone with information or footage is asked to contact police on 101, quoting crime number DHM14092018395 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111 or www.crimestoppers-uk.org