A 15-YEAR-OLD boy who set fire to a skip and killed his friend will be locked up after being convicted of man-slaughter.

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted at Newcastle Crown Court of killing Michael Temperley, 15, of Oakwood Avenue, Low Fell, Gateshead, who died last July after he was shut in a rubbish skip as a prank.

Michael, 15, had gone inside the rubbish container to retrieve his bike after it was taken in by friends as a joke.

But the court heard how the door was closed and secured with a chain behind him, before a burning piece of paper was pushed through a gap.

Despite frantic efforts of passers-by and his friends, Michael remained trapped in the skip until the door was forced open by firefighters.

Michael suffered 30 per cent burns, and despite being revived in hospital after two-and-a-half hours of resuscitation, he had a cardiac arrest and died early the next morning.

The court heard how his entire body was scorched by the flames. He also suffered internal burning by breathing hot air.

Michael's 15-year-old friend admitted setting fire to a piece of paper.

The boy told the court: "I was just bored. I wanted something to do."

He denied claims he thrust the burning sheet through a gap in the door and said he had dropped it on the ground outside.

He was cleared of false imprisonment, as was a 16-year-old boy.

The jury took just under three hours to find the 15-year-old guilty of man-slaughter.

He will be sentenced next week. Mr Justice Henriques told him: "This case is so serious that you must prepare yourself for a lengthy period of time in detention."