FOUR university students sparked a major rescue operation when they drunkenly climbed onto the roof of Durham Cathedral.

Mimicking the “night climbers” of Oxford and Cambridge who make game of scaling the walls of colleges and public buildings, the Durham University foursome clambered onto the roof of the home of the Very Reverend Michael Sadgrove, the Dean of Durham, which is part of the 900-year-old cathedral, late on Friday night (November 1).

Then unable to get down, they sparked a major emergency service response, with two fire engines and a police helicopter rushed to the scene.

There is now anger at the cost of the hi-jinks to the public, which a police spokesman described as “quite incredible”, and at the weak action taken to punish the students.

They were given police warnings and have agreed to write to the Dean to apologise.

Paul Anderson, Durham City neighbourhood inspector for Durham police, said: “I don’t want to spoil people’s fun but students have got to understand the consequences of their actions.

“It’s not just on members of the public but the impact on the emergency services – a call out to the fire service and the police helicopter. The cost of that is quite incredible.”

The helicopter was needed to locate the students, he added.

The students, three men and a woman, have not been named. The incident took place shortly after midnight.

Professor Graham Towl, pro vice chancellor and deputy warden at Durham University, said: “We are taking this incident very seriously and are currently investigating it in accordance with our internal procedures which includes liaison with the emergency services.”

He added: “Our colleges in Durham and Stockton give guidance to our students on being good neighbours and we actively encourage students to contribute to their local communities and to have a voice in local residents groups where appropriate.

“We take complaints very seriously and work closely with the police, the council, the students’ union and our wider student body to resolve them.”

Insp Anderson added: “It was sufficient this particular time to give a warning.

“We are liaising with the university and the respective colleges and they will have their own internal disciplinary procedure.”