THE brother of a murdered council official has reacted angrily to news that killer Albert Dryden is looking forward to his first visit outside prison in almost 14 years.

The 64-year-old was jailed for shooting Harry Collinson when council officers moved in to demolish Dryden's illegally-built bungalow in Butsfield, near Consett, County Durham, in June, 1991.

The former steelworker has written to friends to say he has been moved to a category C prison in Cumbria, which focuses on re-integrating prisoners into the community.

In a letter to best friend George Cameron, Dryden said he was a step closer to becoming a free man and hoped to be allowed out on visits now he has been down-graded from a high-security category B prisoner.

Dryden, who was held in Rye Hill Prison, near Warwickshire, where he said he had been left to "rot in hell", has been moved to Haverigg Prison, near Millom.

Mr Cameron, 71, of Kilchurn, Blackhill, near Consett, said: "Albert has been moved to another prison where he is a category C prisoner.

"He has gone to Haverigg and people there go and work in the community. It helps prisoners get used to living back in the community.

"Albert hasn't seen the outside for almost 14 years. However, he has written to me saying that he expects to go on a visit to a small town with an officer as he prepares to be rehabilitated back into the community.

"He has still got a little way to go, but he is coming up to 65. He'll be a pensioner when he is released. He's no harm to anyone now.

"His release won't be immediate, but he is a step closer to freedom."

Last night, Mr Collinson's brother, Roy, a farmer in Stocksfield, Northumberland, said: "All murderers should be locked up in a prison cell 24 hours a day. He shouldn't be sent to a holiday camp.

"The murder was 13 short years ago. It still feels like it was yesterday for me.

"Dryden deliberately shot my brother. He shot him once and then went back and shot him twice more. It was deliberate, calculated and reasoned.

"He has never shown any remorse, has never apologised and never admitted he was wrong.

Dryden shot the father-of-two, who was chief planning officer for Derwentside District Council, twice in the chest, and once in the head as he lay on the ground. A policeman and reporter were also wounded.

The incident was seen by millions of people after the tragedy was captured by a photographer from The Northern Echo and a BBC camera crew.

Dryden was jailed for life at Newcastle Crown Court in 1992. He was denied parole in 2001 after it was felt he showed little evidence of remorse.

A spokesman for Haverigg Prison, said: "I cannot comment on any individual cases, but generally prisoners come to us and would have to go through another two stages before being released. They would have to go to open conditions and could go to a hostel after that.

"However, some of the prisoners do work in the community and many long-term prisoners will get to go out on a visit somewhere.

"Dryden will not be eligible to work in the community because his security clearance is not suitable for this sort of work."