A TEENAGER who thought it was 'funny' after starting a fire which destroyed a school gym, will spend the next nine months behind bars.

The PE block at Chester-le-Street's Hermitage School was demolished as a result of the blaze, which caused £1.2m worth of damage.

A 16-year-old youth, arrested ten days later on suspicion of starting the fire, appeared at Durham Crown Court this week. He admitted a charge of arson at an earlier hearing and was given an 18-month detention and supervision order.

He will serve the first nine months in a young offenders' institution and spend the next nine under the supervision of the probation service. A co-accused, now aged 17, denied arson, but admitted burglary. He was given a 150-hour community punishment order, previously known as community service, after the prosecution accepted his plea.

The court heard the pair were among a group of teenagers who met up outside the school, off Waldridge Road, late at night on Friday, November 2, last year.

David Callan, prosecuting, said a number climbed a fence and, after the 17-year-old smashed a window, entered the school building.

Others left, but the two defendants entered the gym, where the 16-year-old ignited a jumper with a cigarette lighter, starting the blaze.

Police on patrol spotted the gym block ablaze at 2.37am. Twenty-four firefighters in six engines were needed to quell the blaze, which left the gym unstable, and following assessment it was written-off by the education authority.

Mr Callan said after their arrest: "Both seemed to think it was funny, but later appeared to have realised the seriousness of what they had done." He added that a scenes of crime officer found a box of firelighters on the school steps.

Gavin Doig, for the 16-year-old, said it took place while he was 'in drink'. Mr Doig said he has since 'distanced himself' from the 'unfortunate influences' he was mixing with at the time and has found work with a window company.

Brian Russell, for the 17-year-old, said the break-in was his idea, as he had seen two bottles of wine on the premises. He added that he is now on a course training to be an electrician and his court appearance had 'brought home the consequences of his action'.

Judge Maurice Carr said the fire not only caused a large monetary loss, but also left many of the 2,000 pupils, staff and other users of the school, extremely distressed.

Acting head teacher Margaret Anderson said the fire caused great problems over the winter and she praised her PE department for their resolve. She said the gym and changing rooms had to be demolished and the sports hall is out of bounds.