A PARISH council is taking action to prevent youngsters being injured at the site of a former agricultural store.

Walton's Countrystore in Eden Lane, Gainford, closed at the beginning of the year and since then the site and the building have been left to deteriorate.

Now councillors fear for the safety of youngsters who frequently break in and run amok through old agricultural machinery, gas cylinders and oil drums.

At Monday's parish council meeting, Coun Vera Robinson, who lives close to the site, said: "I often have to go out and pick up old paperwork that the kids throw around the site after breaking in. The owner has told me he keeps putting on new locks but the kids keep breaking in.

"The doors around the back are open all the time and inside there is still a fork-lift truck, loads of paperwork and other machinery. There is an awful smell of petrol too.

"If the site isn't secured properly I am afraid someone will get seriously hurt there."

Coun Jack Diamond agreed. He said: "We must take this higher up and urge Teesdale District Council environmental health officers to take a look.

"If something was to happen to a youngster in there after complaints had been made to us about the state of the building then we would be held responsible."

On Tuesday, Coun Robinson told the D&S Times that the doors around the back of the property were still unsecured and access could easily be gained.

She added: "The parish council wrote to the owner a couple of months ago but he has failed to reply.

"The whole area looks like a bomb site and as it stands it is a definite health and safety hazard. There are gas cylinders inside, old oil drums, bags of hay and loads of other flammable materials.

"It doesn't bear thinking about what could happen to one of the youngsters if they dropped a cigarette inside or around the building."

The corrugated iron building has been owned by the Walton family for more than 50 years.

Countrystore owner, Mr Nigel Walton, took over the building as an agricultural clothing and goods store after his father, Harry's, feed supply business ceased trading a few years ago.

Mr Howard Stainthorpe, Teesdale District Council environmental health officer, said: " We will certainly go and have a look at the building and if necessary we will contact Mr Walton to secure the building properly. If it is deemed dangerous to the community we will put it in the hands of the community safety officer."

Mr Nigel Walton was unable to be contacted for comment.