A 15-YEAR-OLD boy has admitted starting a fire which gutted the former school of comedy legend Stan Laurel.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to arson before South Durham magistrates, sitting at Newton Aycliffe, yesterday.

The court heard that the youth, from Newton Aycliffe, had gone to the disused school, which is part of King James I Community College, Bishop Auckland, on March 3.

James Thomas, prosecuting, said he was searching rooms at about 1pm looking for copper to steal and was using a make-shift torch fashioned with a stick and paper.

"He left the school to go into town, but returned about 20 minutes later to find the disused school well alight," said Mr Thomas.

John Turner, mitigating, said that he had some degree of sympathy for his client, who had a troubled past.

"This is a young man who has been damaged by the past, damaged by his family and damaged by the authorities who have dealt with him since," he said.

Mr Turner said that the boy admitted his responsibility for the fire that afternoon and said the boy was "guilty of being reckless" and not someone "who has set out to deliberately start a fire."

The youth also pleaded guilty to theft of a motor vehicle, making off with £8.73 worth of petrol without payment, driving without a licence and driving with no insurance, on August 12, offences committed while he was on bail for the arson.

He was sentenced to a two-year "intensive" supervision order.

Following the arson the future of the 143-year-old grade II-listed building is uncertain but campaigners hope it can be saved.

Empty since 2000, it is known as The Laurel Building.

The comedy legend was a boarder there between 1902 and 1903 before making his name alongside Oliver Hardy.

Speaking after the case, a spokesman for Durham County Council said a report, drawn up regarding the future of the building, would be considered later this month.

* A second boy, a 16-year-old from Evenwood, will appear in Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court in relation to the arson, on Wednesday, for a pre-trial review.