TWO teenagers appeared in court yesterday charged with burning down a village school.

The 14-year-olds, who cannot be named, were accompanied by their parents when they appeared before South Durham Youth Court, in Darlington, to face an arson charge. The pair are jointly accused of destroying Middleton St George Primary School, near Darlington, on February 26, to the value of £356,000. Magistrates decided to commit the case to Teesside Crown Court. The case was adjourned until May 9 for committal proceedings at Darlington Magistrates' Court.

SWORD ATTACK: A man has been released on police bail following a samurai sword attack. The man, who has not been named by police, was arrested after the attack in Skipton Moor Close, Darlington. The victim received cuts to his arms and was treated in hospital for his injuries, which are not life threatening. Police investigations are continuing into the attack which occurred last Sunday.

RAPE CHARGE: Two teenagers appeared in court yesterday charged with raping an 11-year-old girl. The pair, aged 13 and 14 - who cannot be named for legal reasons - appeared before South Durham Youth Court, in Darlington. They are jointly accused of raping the girl, in Darlington, on January 24. The case against the 14-year-old, from Hartlepool, and the 13-year-old, from Darlington, was adjourned until Friday, April 11.

WEBSITES OFFER: People interested in setting up a community website are invited to attend free workshops. The sessions will be hosted by The Northern Echo's CommuniGate programme at Darlington Library, in Crown Street, on Wednesday, from 10am to noon and Thursday, from 5pm to 7pm. Free websites are available to non-profit groups and charities. For more information, contact (01325) 505270.

FREE LECTURE: Bill Morris, general secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union, is to deliver a free public lecture about the future of unions. His talk, called Trade Unions in the 2000s, will be held in the Europe Building of the University of Teesside, in Middlesbrough. Mr Morris, who received an honorary degree from the university in 1997, is giving the lecture as part of a series celebrating Teesside's ten years of university status. The talk takes place on Wednesday, from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

CHARITY BALL: The Children's Hope Foundation is holding its annual candlelit ball in aid of special needs children at Lumley Castle, Chester-le- Street, tonight. Sunderland company Qualcom Limitless Computing is the main sponsor with a £4,000 donation.

FACTORY FIRE: Firefighters wearing breathing equipment tackled a blaze that badly damaged the Eurocell Building Plastics factory on the Dragonville Industrial Estate, Durham City. The fire started near a sales counter and the cause is not yet known.