POLICE fear so-called ‘free runners’ climbing ancient buildings could seriously injure themselves and damage the region’s historic treasures.

PC Gary Thompson, of Durham Police, said free running is on the increase in Durham City and participants are putting lives and heritage buildings at risk.

Last Saturday night (June 21), six men climbed scaffolding to scale the roof of a Durham Cathedral office; and there have been reports of people climbing Durham Castle and other historic city centre buildings.

“We would ask people not to do this,” PC Thompson said.

“Think of your safety and Durham as a World Heritage Site. The last thing we want is buildings or people being damaged.”

Philip Davies, chapter clerk at Durham Cathedral, said he would strongly discourage anyone from free running on Cathedral property, for their safety and the buildings’ protection.

“The Cathedral is over 900 years old and is a precious, but fragile, building in parts.

“We are currently undergoing extensive work to repair and restore this wonderful building and ask that people respect our property, which is loved and revered by people across the world,” he said.

Professor Graham Towl, Durham University’s pro-vice-chancellor, said: “We would reiterate the warnings issued by police about the risks of anyone who might be tempted to climb on any of the University’s buildings or any other buildings on the World Heritage Site.”

There have been no reported injuries from free runners in Durham.

Gareth Randle, who leads the Durham Parkour group, said it was not parkour runners causing problems, but drunks.

He said his friends undergo physical training in a gym before going outdoors, take every precaution to ensure no-one gets hurt and avoid unsafe buildings.

“We’re not here to harm or hassle society. We want to have fun,” he said.

Mr Randle said his colleagues would leave buildings if asked by the police or the building’s owners.

Last year, a trend emerged among Durham students for “night climbing”, mimicking a similar fad in Oxford and Cambridge.

Four students drunkenly climbed onto the roof of Durham Cathedral and had to be rescued by a police helicopter.