FIVE men accused after a confrontation following a fire at a village store had the charges against them dropped.

They had been accused of chasing and attacking a 20-year-old local man following a fire on a stairwell leading from a flat above the Food Store in Front Street, Perkinsville, near Chester-le-Street.

They are said to have accused the man of responsibility for the fire and claim they were attempting to make a citizens arrest, before police at the scene stepped in to separate them, in the incident, last July.

Store owner Mohammad Khaliq, 55, and Yasser Khaliq, 23, both of the Village Farmhouse, Birtley Lane, Chester-le-Street, Mohammad Khaliq junior, 26, Khalid Mahood, 27, both of Morris Street, and Ishfaq Hussain, 24, of New South Terrace, all Birtley, had each previously denied affray.

Yasser Khaliq was also charged with assault causing actual bodily harm and Mohammad Khaliq senior was also accused of making a threat to kill the 20-year-old man.

They appeared at Durham Crown Court on Monday for a trial. But prosecuting barrister Euan Duff told the court: "There is a history to this.

"Given difficulties faced by the crown, the proper course at this stage is simply to take no action against these men, and to offer no evidence."

Judge Roger Scott recorded formal 'not guilty' verdicts.