CHRIS Morgan - one of the North-East's first directly elected mayors - resigned last night and immediately vowed to fight the child porn allegations that have driven him from office.

Mr Morgan said he had decided to step aside because he could not continue in office with the allegations hanging over him

The Conservative Mayor of North Tyneside - who was elected last May -was on police bail after being questioned over the allegations on Thursday.

The 33-year-old, of Whitley Bay, had been re-arrested as he answered bail for an unrelated allegation that he indecently assaulted a teenager.

Last night, he said: "I cannot continue in office and fight these allegations with such a shadow hanging over me."

The former accountant said he had taken the decision with "a heavy heart" but he had done so "for the benefit and protection of the integrity of the local authority and the mayoral office".

His solicitor, Mark Harrison, said: "Mr Morgan maintains absolutely his innocence in respect of both sets of accusations made against him.

"He has always held a firm . . . commitment to the people of North Tyneside and has sought to serve them with integrity and decency.

"His role in the local community is something which Mr Morgan considers to be of the utmost importance."

Mr Harrison said the allegations - and the leaking of information to the media - had made Mr Morgan's position untenable.

He added: "Mr Morgan will now devote his time and efforts to defending the untrue accusations that have been levelled against him."

Mr Morgan was one of 11 mayors to be directly elected by the public in an experiment that was hailed by the Government as a dramatic step forward in local democracy. He was also the only Tory to hold such a post.

At the same time as he assumed his role in North Tyneside, voters in Middlesbrough were electing former detective Ray Mallon as mayor and the people of Hartlepool were voting for Stuart Drummond, who was the town football club's mascot, H'Angus the Monkey.

Mr Morgan, who is married, was born in Wallsend and has lived most of his life in the borough. His election was seen as a triumph for local Conservatives as the MP for North Tyneside is former transport minister Stephen Byers.