FRESH concerns have been raised about the safety of young people in Barnard Castle after they were spotted scaling cliffs to the castle walls.
A resident spotted two teenagers climbing up the rock face last week and a businessman in Horsemarket also captured another group on his CCTV system on the walls themselves.
The resident, who asked not to be named, said the area where he spotted the youngsters was too accessible.
He said: “The danger comes from the obvious long drop.
“But there is also a lot of loose material and those limestone cliffs break off really easily. The danger of falling rocks is also a concern for anyone up there.
“The castle is a partially demolished building and has all the dangers which go with that. No one wants to lose a child or friend to an accident that could be prevented.
Residents have also raised concerns about youths scaling the castle walls in the past.
Kevin Lough, Durham County Council’s occupational health and safety manager, said: “While these young people were photographed on land we neither own nor
manage, we have put up fencing in this area to prevent access.
“We are very concerned by this image as climbing in this location is highly dangerous. Anyone falling while doing so risks serious injury or even death.
“We would encourage anyone who knows the young people in the photo to speak to them about the risks.”
