A TEENAGER was warned he could face being locked up after being found guilty of setting fire to a derelict leisure centre and causing £30,000 of damage.

The 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty of arson by a jury at Teesside Crown Court yesterday.

The court previously heard that flames from the fire at Peterlee's Lowhills Sports Centre, in County Durham, shot 50ft into the air after the teenager, who has a previous conviction for arson, torched the centre on May 7 .

The heat from the blaze was so intense that it melted the visors on firefighters' helmets.

Graham Gaston, prosecuting, had told the court the centre had been bought by a company for redevelopment and had been boarded up.

He said: "When the fire brigade arrived at the scene they could see thick, black smoke coming out of the roof.

"Two officers tried to locate the source of the fire inside the centre, but they had to leave when the intense heat melted the visors on their helmets.

"At one point, fire officers described seeing 40ft to 50ft flames coming out of the roof. It eventually took five fire engines to extinguish the flames."

The boy denied a charge of arson. He claimed that two other youths had started the fire.

Judge Anthony Briggs adjourned sentence for four weeks for the preparation of pre-sentence and medical reports. But he warned the youth that he would be considering all sentencing options, including custody.