TEACHERS and care workers who claim their lives were destroyed as a result of one of the North-East's biggest child abuse inquiries last night launched a bitter attack on police.

During Operation Rose - the codename for North-umbria Police's five-year inquiry - almost 200 people were investigated, but only six were convicted.

Many of those accused say their lives have been wrecked by false allegations of physical and sexual assault.

They have accused the force, which launched Operation Rose in 1997, of using "trawling" methods to root out complaints from former residents of North-East children's homes.

One former teacher has lodged a grievance with the Police Complaints Authority, with the support of his MP, Alan Beith, accusing them of victimisation and malicious prosecution.

Ray Johnston, of Northumberland, said last night: "My life has been utterly destroyed in the last five years for no reason whatsoever."

Operation Rose was launched following allegations from two former care home residents of sexual and physical abuse.

A three-year investigation led to 32 people being charged with a total of 142 offences - and it took another two years to bring all the cases to court.

Court reporting restrictions, which had covered Operation Rose cases over the past few years, were yesterday lifted with the collapse of the final case at Newcastle Crown Court.

Esme Allenby, 54, of Yeovil Close, Westwood Grange, Cramlington, was told she would not face trial for nine counts of alleged indecent assault dating back 27 years.

Derek Gordon, of Chester-le-Street, County Durham, who was acquitted of allegations that he physically abused children in his care, said his life would never return to normal.

He had almost three decades of unblemished work with difficult children at a care home in Northumberland when a former client accused him of using undue force to restrain her.

Mr Gordon remained suspended on full pay for three years before his case came to trial, but despite being acquitted, he said he would never work with children again.

Mr Gordon, who has co-founded the North-East branch of Falsely Accused Carers and Teachers (FACT), condemned the "trawling" methods, in which police actively seek-out complainants.

In an open letter to Northumbria Police Chief Constable Crispian Strachan yesterday, Mr Gordon and fellow FACT member Ray Johnston wrote:

"Our conservative estimate of the true financial cost of Operation Rose to the economy of the region is in excess of £10m.

"This is only the financial cost. The real cost in terms of the blighted careers of experienced, caring and well-qualified staff who have been rendered unemployable despite being found not guilty can only be imagined."

The case against Mr Johnston was thrown out of court after the judge considered that three and a half years for the case to come to trial was against his human rights.

Mr Johnston said: "I will be pursuing a complaint through the Police Complaints Authority until I see justice done."

MP Mr Beith said last night there were a lot of questions which needed to be asked about the operation.

He has pledged to highlight the case to Sunderland South MP Chris Mullin, who is chairing a Home Affairs Select Committee study looking into police handling of child abuse allegations in care homes across the country.

"A lot of innocent people have been severely hurt by this operation," said Mr Beith. "Trawling is a major concern that is one of the issues about which questions must be asked."

Last night, Northumbria Police Assistant Chief Constable John Scott said: "Although our investigation has taken a considerable time to conclude, we believe it was right to conduct the investigation because no one should be denied the opportunity to complain about criminal activity against them while in care.

"It was a thorough and professional investigation which sought to establish the truth behind what happened to children who were entrusted to the care of others."

Northumbria Police are expected to answer questions in detail at a Press conference today.