CONSERVATIVE peer Lord Howell of Guildford issued a belated apology to the North-East tonight for his disgraceful slur on the region's beautiful countryside.

He'd had ample opportunity to apologise earlier but only issued his embarrassing climbdown several hours after he suggested in the House of Lords that beautiful areas of Britain should be protected from "fracking"  - but it was OK for the "desolate" North-East.

The probability, of course, is that he was advised to say sorry because his comments on "fracking" - short for hydraulic fracturing to excavate gas - exposed an instinctive prejudice and ignorance of the North-East.

Let's be clear - Lord Howell's wasn't suggesting that the North-East is ripe for "fracking" because of its undoubted expertise and impressive track record in the energy sector.

The clear basis of his argument was that the North-East was less environmentally precious than the south - that there was less to spoil.

He was, of course, talking out of his lordly backside. Anyone who has ever visited the North-East knows that it is a region of glorious natural beauty.

Here at The Northern Echo, we are proud to serve a circulation area which can compete with any part of the country when it comes to spectacular, inspiring landscapes.

We have nothing against Guildford but Lord Howell can stay there - and we'll celebrate our good fortune at being surrounded by the likes of Northumberland, Weardale, Teesdale, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors.