BUILDING work was halted at a primary school after health and safety rules were breached.

Darlington Borough Council has issued a letter to all headteachers and governors after the "very serious incident," warning them that it had "compromised" the council with "potentially severe consequences".

Contractors were carrying out building work at the Darlington primary school, which has not been named, when the council ordered the work to stop.

The letter, from Geoff Pennington, director of education for Darlington council, warned that employees at all levels would face potential disciplinary implications if they failed to observe the agreed health and safety policy.

"If a school fails to follow the council's policies and procedures, the council will have no alternative but to stop the contract and to arrange for the completion of the works itself," the letter says.

"The school will be required to pay for the completion of the works and will be liable to any breach of contract that the school entered into with the initial contractor. It is recognised that these are Draconian measures, and it is hoped that in the interests of all parties involved that their use is never required."

A council spokesman said: "A school had engaged contractors to carry out work, but health and safety arrangements between the school and contractors were not up to standard."

He said the school and contractors were liaising with the education department and the council's health and safety unit to address any deficiencies before work could begin again.