AFTER 30 years teaching at the same school, a Bishop Auckland man has been appointed headteacher.

Bruce Guthrie's career has been dedicated to the children at Bishop Barrington School, where he started as a biology teacher in 1974.

He became head of biology and joined the senior management team in the 1990s, and was appointed deputy headteacher in 1996.

His appointment follows the departure of Keith Cotgrave to Longfield School, in Darlington.

Mr Guthrie grew up in Bishop Auckland, studying at King James I School, before taking a biology degree at Leicester University.

Last term, in his first weeks as Bishop Barrington School's acting headteacher, he guided the school through a visit from Ofsted inspectors who awarded its leadership top marks.