A STRIP of woodland on a former colliery is to be excavated to prevent fire spreading across the site.

Part of the railway embankment at Chilton Colliery reclamation site recently caught fire and the rising ground temperature is killing vegetation and woodland in the area.

Because the site used to be a colliery, any coal remaining underground could fuel a further fire.

To prevent the land from catching alight and fire destroying large areas of the reclamation site, Durham County Council plans to create a firebreak - 40 metres wide by 6.2 metres deep in the north-western part of the site.

Environment officers say that felling trees to enable the earthworks to proceed is better than risking greater danger and damage if it were left unattended.

Ken Pearson, head of estates, said: "Left alone, the fire will spread along the embankment so, to prevent that happening, and more damage to trees, we have drawn up the firebreak scheme.

"It will involve cutting through the embankment, but any trees lost will be replaced once the work is complete."