FORMER royal butler Paul Burrell defended his controversial book on Diana, Princess of Wales, last night and pledged there were some secrets he would never tell.

Copies of the book were snapped up by people across the North-East after it went on sale yesterday.

Although the memoirs have caused anguish for princes William and Harry, Mr Burrell - speaking on Channel 4's Richard and Judy show - said he never intended to hurt them, and they and the Queen had nothing to fear from him.

Of a meeting with William, he said: "It will be arranged very privately and secretly. We can talk to each other man to man - and nobody will ever know."

Asked if he harboured a secret concerning a sexual incident involving a member of the Royal Family, he said: "I really don't want to discuss it. It's not very pleasant."

Despite claims that Mr Burrell was wrong to write the book, people across the North-East were eager to read the story.

Many shops sold out of the book, A Royal Duty, yesterday, including Ottakar's in Darlington, which had no copies left by lunch time.

Manager Dianne O'Neill said the books were delivered at 10am, but people were asking for copies when the shop opened an hour earlier.

"We couldn't get them out of the boxes and on to the shelves before we were selling them," she said.

It was a similar story at Les Conroy's two shops, Guisborough Bookshop and Yarm Bookshop.

He said: "We put the books out at nine o'clock this morning, and by 11 o'clock they had all gone. I have ordered 80 more."

Opinions on the book among North-East shoppers were mixed.

Simon Munshi bought a copy for his wife in Ottakar's, in Darlington.

He said: "Although, morally, it might appear wrong for him to have written this, there is a broader issue of public interest, and I think we have a right to know the truth about the night she died, either from Burrell, from MI5, from the Queen, or whoever."

Jennifer Kirby, 36, felt the book was wrong and said she felt sorry for Diana's memory.

She said: "She's dead and they should let it go, they should think about the boys. It must be heart breaking for them."

But William Cooper, 76, said: "They're not boys anymore, they're young men, and, to be honest, I think this book will show the Royal Family up for what they are."