TWO North-East social workers are under investigation over claims they allowed two young sex abuse victims to get drunk on a night out in Scarborough.

Ann Pennels and Michael Boyle, who both work for Darlington Social Services, have been suspended indefinitely while the allegations against them are looked into.

It is claimed the pair were supervising two 14-year-old girls on a trip to the seaside when the alleged incident happened.

The youngsters, who were in care of the local authority, are said to have been allowed to drink at a pub with their carers before all four moved on to a nightclub.

The two workers are then said to have let the underage girls go to another nightclub while they remained in the first club.

The abuse victims were allegedly told to keep in contact with their carers via a mobile phone, but carried on partying when the adults returned to their hotel.

The teenagers were said to be drunk when they went back to a hotel in Scarborough, where the four were staying.

Karen Robinson, owner of the Gresham Hotel, which put the party up, said she was shocked that the social workers had taken the girls out drinking. She said: "I said to my husband, 'I cannot believe they are taking them out drinking'."

Hotel guests complained to the management that Ms Pennels and Mr Boyle were very noisy when they returned from the night out, she said.

"They were talking really loudly on the phone at the bottom of the stairs. Mr Boyle was running up and down the stairs," added Mrs Robinson.

"We were in bed because it was really late at night but they woke us up."

It is understood the commotion was caused after Ms Pennels lost her credit card during the evening out.

The hotel owner admitted she sold a can of lager to the social workers.

After drinking that, the group went on to a pub for their evening meal, where it is alleged the children were drinking wine and alcopops.

An internal investigation has been launched into the incident.

A Darlington Borough Council spokesman said: "Two employees have been suspended.

"There is an investigation on-going."

Ms Pennels, 48, of Grasmere Road, Darlington, told The Northern Echo she had been advised not to comment on the incident, although she admitted that the suspension has left her feeling "not very well".

Council investigators have been speaking to taxi drivers, pub landlords and nightclub staff in Scarborough.

The inquiry was launched after the two teenagers told friends and family about their trip to the town