YOUTHS are dicing with death by leaping over the edge of a 100ft former quarry into an anti-litter net below.

The alarm was raised at the weekend, after young thrillseekers were seen playing the deadly game of dare at a waste landfill site, in County Durham.

PC Colin Dobson said: "It is absolute madness.

"The net has been placed there to stop waste from blowing away into the surrounding countryside - it's certainly not designed to take the weight of a child.

"It is only a matter of time before someone falls through to a certain death."

PC Dobson was called to Joint Stocks landfill site, between Coxhoe and Quarrington Hill, near Durham City, on Friday night by a security guard, who had confronted as many as 14 teenagers.

"The youths, aged from 12 to 14, had managed to get on to the site through holes cut into the security fence," said PC Dobson.

"They were seen jumping from the edge of the quarry into the netting, about 20 to 30ft down, and using it as a trampoline.

"If that wasn't bad enough, they then had to scramble back up the face of the quarry to safety.

"But, if they fell through, they would plummet a further 70ft.

"And even if anyone survived the fall - which is very unlikely - it would take a long time for the emergency services to get there."

Mike Rafter, operating manager of Durham firm Capitol Waste Management, which runs the site, said: "The youths were cheeky and abusive when the security man warned them off the site.

"They are playing with their lives and we are urging everyone to stay out. It is extremely dangerous to jump into these nets."

The netting was put in place following complaints from residents about waste being blown out of the site.

Mr Rafter said the site was surrounded by a 6ft chain-linked security fence, topped by barbed wire, and had 24-hour security coverage, backed up by remote-controlled closed-circuit television cameras.

He said: "We are constantly having to repair holes cut through the fence by youths getting in and taking things.

"If the practice of jumping into the netting continues, we are going to be left with no option but to remove it - and won't be able to operate when it is windy.