COUNCILLORS meet tonight to confirm plans for an inquiry into the asbestos scandal at a North-East sports centre.

Staff at a swimming pool in Bishop Auckland were allowed to work unprotected for five years with the dangerous materials after their bosses ignored an official warning from asbestos inspectors.

MPs and MEPs from across the region have joined calls for a full investigation to be held in public to establish exactly what happened - and who was responsible.

Wear Valley District Council, owner of the Woodhouse Close Leisure Complex, was fined £18,000 after an investigation by the Government's Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

At a public meeting tonight, the authority is expected to approve plans to set up a team of officers to lead an inquiry.

Helen Goodman, Labour MP for Bishop Auckland, said: "This is a very serious matter and I am extremely concerned, particularly if employees or the public have been put at risk in any way.

"We are hoping that the inquiry will be thorough and will get to the bottom of this. We need to find out as much as possible, as quickly as possible."

Richard Bishop, the HSE inspector who brought the case to court, described the health and safety breaches - which concerned the sports centre's boiler room - as the worst he had seen.

In an official statement, leader of the council, Councillor Neil Stonehouse, and chief executive Michael Laing, later apologised to the staff affected.

Martin Callanan, the region's Conservative MEP, said yesterday: "It seems to me that this was staggering incompetence. Clearly, the people who have been placed in danger have the right to know the reasons for this and a full public inquiry must take place.

"The last thing we want is for this to be brushed under the carpet in some cosy council confab."

Stephen Hughes, Labour MEP for the North-East, said: "What happened was totally unacceptable and I'm pleased Wear Valley has recognised that by setting up an inquiry to fully establish the facts to make sure it never happens again.

"It saddens me to think of the daily anxiety those who worked in the boiler room must go through. No other workers should be put in that position."

In papers prepared for tonight's meeting, Mr Laing writes: "The overall objective of this report is not only to satisfy our legal duties - it is to exceed those duties and give councillors, customers and staff the re-assurance that they are safe and that we take health and safety seriously."

The public meeting takes place at 6pm, at the Civic Centre, in Crook.