TWO young people who claim their lives were ruined by bullies are each suing their former school - and its governors - for £50,000.

Caroline Newby and Jamie Bright say they both needed hospital treatment because of the ordeal they suffered at the hands of fellow pupils in the early 1990s.

Yesterday, they brought separate actions against the governors of their former school, Shotton Hall Secondary School in Peterlee, and Durham County Council, the education authority.

Barrister Philip Cramer, acting on their behalf, told Teesside County Court that although the school did have processes in place to deal with bullying, it was the claimants' cases that they were not followed - despite both pupils making complaints to staff.

It is understood Miss Newby, now 19, is claiming £50,000 for psychological injury and Mr Bright, now 20, a similar sum for psychological and physical injuries.

Miss Newby told the court that for two years she was tormented by a group of eight girls starting in 1994 when she was 12.

The young thugs made her life a misery by shouting and swearing at her, repeatedly tripped her up and also spat at her.

At first, she said, she told her set tutor who said he would deal with it - but it continued almost every day, she claimed.

Miss Newby eventually told her head of year. She told the court: "He told me to go and sit back down, I was just being silly."

Again, she claimed, nothing happened, despite repeatedly telling teachers of the continued bullying.

Miss Newby said: "He kept telling me it was all in my mind."

The bullying, she said, left her "anxious and scared", and reached its worst in May 1995 when she was admitted to hospital for four days suffering stress-related abdominal pains and stomach problems.

The school, she said, called a meeting between her and the bullies where they denied the accusations and were left alone in the room together.

She told the court: "One girl said 'I'm going to get you. This was the worst thing you could have done'."

Mr Cramer said it was Miss Newby's case the school did not act quickly enough despite her, her parents and her GP informing the school she was being bullied.

Miss Newby was eventually moved from the school in 1996.

Mr Bright, said Mr Cramer was subjected to physical violence at the hands of boys at the school from aged 12.

It began with an attack by two boys which left him with bruising, but a teacher accepted that Mr Bright had provoked the attack.

Mr Cramer said after a second assault, teachers suggested he shake hands and make up with the bullies.

Then in 1994, bullies tried to set fire to Mr Bright's coat in a science class and his books were stolen. His head of year assured his parents the boys would be spoken to but the bullying continued.

In 1996, Mr Bright was covered in ink and written on, and when he told his teacher, said Mr Cramer, she concluded he had been a "willing participant".

His bag was stolen and he was covered in chalk, said Mr Cramer. He was told to stay off school until it was sorted out, and on being told it had been, he returned only to be attacked the day after.

The most serious incident happened when Mr Bright was attacked and kicked unconscious. After another attack he had to go to hospital, said Mr Cramer.

Medical evidence, said Mr Cramer, showed Mr Bright needed to take anti-depressants.

The claims are challenged by the governors of the school and Durham County Council and the case continues.