TWO men have been cleared of involvement in a burglary at an elderly couple’s home on a summer evening.

Michael Quinn and Antony Scott were accused of carrying out the burglary in South Hetton, on Sunday July 28.

A mobile phone and a lawn mower battery were taken in the break-in, in Conishead Terrace.

One of the pair was alleged to have pushed past the female householder to enter, while the other kept watch.

When they appeared at Durham Crown Court at a plea hearing in August, the pair both denied a charge of burglary in which a person was subject to violence.

The court heard both denied being involved.

A trial was initially scheduled to take place at the court in November, but it was then re-listed to this week.

Mr Scott, 34, of Braddyll Square, South Hetton, and 39-year-old Mr Quinn, of Girven Terrace West, Easington Lane, were previously remanded in custody, but in the intervening period were granted bail to those addresses following applications to the court.

Following evidence given by the first witness at the trial, the Crown asked for a brief adjournment, and, on return to court, prosecuting barrister Jonathan Harley offered “no evidence”.

A formal not guilty verdict was recorded by the jury on Judge Jonathan Carroll’s direction and the two accused were discharged from court.