A GIPSY site given a six-months clean-up deadline is still the subject of complaints from neighbours, councillors have been told.

Durham County Council issued the warning to the East Howle site, near Ferryhill, in February, after hearing that neighbours wanted it closed because of a catalogue of problems.

The council's cabinet was told that people living near the campsite had suffered thefts, damage, intimidation and the dumping of rubbish and vehicle oil.

Plans for the Gypsy Council to take over site management from Sedgefield Borough Council fell through, so the authority appointed Stephen Freeman, who runs a camp site in Gateshead, to do the job.

County council social services director Peter Kemp told the cabinet yesterday that Mr Freeman was experienced in dealing with problem sites.

"The complainants have continued to make complaints about the site residents since Mr Freeman became responsible for the site," he said.

"The nature of these complaints has changed, as they are no longer concerning illegal activity on the site or activities such as the burning of copper wire. The complaints have centred on the behaviour of the residents' children - the oldest is 12 - lack of repairs to the boundary fence and rubbish being dumped from the site, and incidents of trespass by dog walkers."

Mr Kemp said the complaints "are significantly less concerning than the extremely serious allegations made previously."

He also told councillors that residents objected to Mr Freeman opening up the top of the site and had called in the Local Government Ombudsman, claiming it breached the cabinet's decision in February.

He said that Mr Freeman had renovated the top part of the site at his own expense and was tackling problems, including rubbish dumping.

Mr Kemp said that one resident was starting legal action to obtain compensation for problems which had been caused by the site.

Mr Freeman will run the site for a year, but progress will be reviewed in six months, the cabinet decided.

After the meeting, council leader Councillor Ken Manton said: "Bringing in a manager with such considerable experience will help us provide a clean and well-run site.''