A TEENAGE boy has admitted starting a fire in a school gym which led to the evacuation of more than 900 pupils.

The blaze spread to adjoining changing rooms in the gym block, at Easington Community School, causing damage that cost £15,000 to repair.

Apart from the damage to the building, much of the school's sports equipment was badly burned.

The fire took place on the afternoon of February 1, when the school was staging a ceremony to mark the granting of specialist science status.

Classes were evacuated in line with the school's emergency fire drill, as smoke drifted from the gym, which stands apart from the rest of the buildings on the Stockton Road site.

Following the fire, two 14-year-old boys were questioned by police on suspicion of starting the blaze.

One of them was subsequently charged with arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Durham Crown Court yesterday when he pleaded guilty to the charge.

Jane Mitford, prosecuting, said the case was sent to the crown court by North Durham magistrates as they considered it to be a grave crime.

The boy's barrister, Annelise Haugstad, requested the preparation of reports on him by the probation service prior to sentence.

Due to the nature of the offence, she also asked for psychiatric reports to be drawn up.

Although the court heard he is not thought to have any mental health problems, such a report is required to discover if he has "a propensity" for setting fires.

Judge Richard Lowden agreed to adjourn to allow the reports to be compiled before the boy is sentenced.

He told him: "I'm not promising what the sentence will be.

"Much of that will depend on what is said in the reports."

Judge Lowden agreed to grant bail, but he urged the boy, "behave yourself, and attend any appointments you are asked to" by the probation service to enable the reports to be prepared.

The boy must return to court to be sentenced in the week of July 9.