A TERRIFIED woman smashed a window to flee her home following an early morning arson attack.

Firebugs sparked the blaze by setting fire to a recycling bag and placing it up against the back uPVC door of the house on York Terrace, Chester-le-Street, County Durham.

And when smoke began spilling from the blaze, the homeowners frantically tried to escape the property.

But they were unable to find their keys and were trapped inside the two-storey semi-detached house as firefighters raced to the scene.

As the man battled to contain the fire at 2am on Sunday morning, his panicking partner smashed a downstairs window in a bid to get out of the house.

The woman was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham suffering cuts to her hand and today a cordon was thrown up around the rear of the smoke-hit home as an investigation got under way.

Concerned neighbours spoke of their shock after police confirmed the arson attack was being linked to a second attack just streets away.

A 33-year-old woman, who did not want to be named, said: “There were police and fire engines all over the street.

“It woke up everyone on the street and no-one can believe that someone would intentionally try and burn someone’s house down. I saw the couple after and the woman looked really shaken. She had been trying to get out for a while and she must have been terrified.”

Just minutes after the attack, a police officer drive past a home on nearby Jolliffe Street and saw smoke spilling from a garage fire.

The fire had been started in boxes piled up inside the garage and an elderly man, believed to be in his 60s, managed to escape his home.

Following investigations by fire teams and the police, it was discovered both incidents were deliberately started and were linked.

Group manager Keith Wanley today said all those caught up in the arson attacks were lucky to escape with their lives.

He said: “We take arson very seriously.

“We will be working together with the police to catch those responsible for the fires.”

Anyone with information should call 0345 6060365.

A WOMAN has died after being hit by a reversing refuse van in a busy shopping street.

Pedestrian Alison Rodger was hit by a council-owned flatbed van in Front Street, Chester-le-Street shortly after 2pm on Wednesday when the area was crowded with shoppers.

The 44-year-old, from Great Lumley, was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham where she was pronounced dead.

PC Mick Baxter, of Durham Police’s collision investigation unit, said the white Ford Transit van had been collecting refuse from footpath litter bins on Front Street when the accident happened.

It was being driven up the hill and had pulled past the bus stop opposite Boots when the driver stopped to allow the passenger to collect refuse from a bin.

PC Baxter added: “We believe the victim crossed the road from west to east, passing the rear of the Transit which then reversed and the rear end of the vehicle struck her and knocked her down.”

The driver of the vehicle, a 23-year-old Houghton-le-Spring man suffered shock while his colleague, a 34-year-old Great Lumley man, was uninjured.

Director of Neighbourhood Services at Durham County Council, Terry Collins, said:”I am really sorry to say that it has been confirmed that a lady has passed away following an accident involving one of our vehicles on Front Street in Chester-le-Street on Wednesday afternoon.

“I want to say firstly that my thoughts are firmly with the lady’s family and friends at this desperately sad time.

“It is far too early to say exactly what happened, but clearly there will be a number of investigations both internally and externally.

“We will fully cooperate with all of these enquiries.”

Witnesses to the collision should contact the police accident unit directly on 0191 3752159 or via the non-emergency number 0345 6060 365.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/

Coun Kath Rolf (left) with residents of Durham Street, Fence Houses, who have sent a petition to Sunderland Council about the state of their back lane.

Fed-up neighbours say a road outside their home has been left in such a bad condition that even the binmen have to wear wellies.

Residents living in Durham Street, Fence Houses, are angry that the back lane of the street is unadopted, with mud and potholes causing a major problem.

Water running from the nearby Dubmire Primary School field has also caused damage to vehicles.

Now, Coun Kath Rolph has taken up their case and will present a petition to Sunderland City Council at a meeting this month in an effort to get the necessary roadwork carried out.

Marion Surtees, 62, of Durham Street, said: “The binmen have been and you have to wear wellingtons just to walk around outside.

“The council owns two thirds of the land and we own a third.

“We started the petition a fortnight ago.

“We have never had a backstreet as far as I can remember and I was born here.”

She added: “The water has been running down ever since the school was built.”

George Parkin, secretary of The Road Adoption Campaign, said unadopted roads were a growing problem.

“There are new developments taking place, but they are put in with roads that are low standard so new estates end up with unadopted roads,” he said.

“The only way to solve this problem is by public funding.”

Ron Odunaiya, executive director of City Services at Sunderland City Council, said that the council had received the petition from Durham Street residents and the matter was under investigation.
Published Date:
02 March 2010

By David Allison

Source: Sunderland Echo

Here are some photos and programmes which cover the period from 1967 to 1971.Many of us who lived in Fencehouses at that time were very much influenced by the Youth Theatre and Mrs Green.