Old Tudhoe schools to be pulled down

THE demolition of an old school, part of which starred in a television drama, will begin within days.

The dual site Tudhoe Grange School, near Spennymoor, which closed in July 2012, will be pulled down and cleared so it can be marketed for sale.

Preparatory work at the upper school site, on St Charles Road, is ongoing and minor demolition is expected to start as next week with the main demolition due to begin around two weeks later.

Demolition of the lower school site, on Durham Road, is expected to begin from Monday, October 20.

Residents of Tudhoe and Spennymoor have launched a petition to save the older of the two buildings, which opened in 1912.

The school enjoyed small screen fame when much of BBC police drama George Gently, starring Martin Shaw, was filmed there and the production crew used it as a base for the last series.

Claire Coverdale, of Durham Road, said: Within a couple of days we had 270 names, so many people are amazed the old building is going to be demolished.

It is so sad, it is an iconic building for the town so wed like to think there was a way it could be saved.

The school closed in 2012 when Tudhoe Grange and Spennymoor Schools were replaced by Whitworth Park School and Sixth Form College.

Ownership of the Tudhoe sites was transferred to Spennymoor Learning Community Trust but Durham County Council has continued to assist the Trust, which has included organising its demolition.

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Old Tudhoe schools to be pulled down