Mum's arrest anger as son rescued from Ferryhill blaze (From The Northern Echo)

Mum's arrest anger as son rescued from Ferryhill blaze

9:00am Tuesday 31st January 2012 in Bishop Auckland News By Duncan Leatherdale

Arrested: Sharon Ashbourne

POLICE who rescued a man from a burning house have been criticised after arresting his mother for trying to see him.

But the officers were also praised for their “courage and bravery” in dealing with the distressing incident.

Sharon Ashbourne received a message just before 1am on Saturday that fire crews had been called to the home of her son, Stephen Short, amid reports he had set himself alight.

She rushed to the 24-year-old’s home in Ferryhill Station, County Durham, to find a police cordon and all three emergency services present.

The 47-year-old, who has three children and eight grandchildren, was stopped by an officer who refused to let her past.

Ms Ashbourne said: “I just wanted to see that he was all right. As far as I was concerned, he could have been dead.

The officers acted with great courage and bravery, and, as a result, they were able to rescue the man from a building which was on fire.”

Superintendent Graham Hall

“It’s any parent’s worst nightmare and any mother would have done the same thing.

“I asked five times to be allowed to see him, then I said I wanted to see my f***ing son, and I was arrested.”

Ms Ashbourne, who lives in Ferryhill, was taken to Bishop Auckland police station, where she spent eight hours before being released with an £80 fixed penalty notice for a public order offence.

She did not see her son, who was hospitalised after suffering smoke inhalation, until 9pm on Saturday.

Police were called to the house shortly before 12.30am and had to break their way in to reach Mr Short.

Superintendent Graham Hall said: “We were called to an address in Ferryhill following reports that a man was attempting to harm himself.

After forcing an entry, a 24-year-old man from Ferryhill was removed from the house and received medical treatment.

“This was a distressing incident and emotions were running high. The officers acted with great courage and bravery, and, as a result, they were able to rescue the man from a building which was on fire.”

Ms Ashbourne, who has submitted a formal complaint over her arrest, said: “Everyone I have spoken to thinks I was treated very unfairly.

“I am fuming, I think how I was treated was disgusting.”

* A 24-year-old man has been arrested and charged with arson and assaulting an officer. He is due to appear at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on February 15.