HEALTH officials have dismissed rumours that sex offenders are to be admitted to a new private psychiatric hospital near Darlington.

Trees Park Healthcare, which is to change its name to Middleton St George Hospital, is undergoing a £4m expansion of its psychiatric facilities on its site near Teesside Airport.

Hospital owner Affinity Healthcare has already opened a 20-bed psychiatric unit there, and there are plans to open an intensive care unit, high dependency unit, detoxification unit and an eating disorder unit, all within the next 12 months.

But rumours are circulating among nearby residents that the hospital is to treat convicted sex offenders, including paedophiles.

Chief executive Arthur Robinson said: "There are a number of developments at the Trees Park Healthcare site at Middleton St George, and some of these include the opening of mental health hospital facilities.

"The units will treat people with a wide range of mental health problems and some people may be admitted who have had previous contact with the criminal justice system due to their illness."

But he added: "The company does not intend to admit anybody with a history of sex offending.

"All appropriate security measures have been fully incorporated into these developments and full consultation and communications has taken place between all the relevant authorities regarding our plans. These include social services, police and the health authority."

The next phase of the development, a ten-bed intensive care unit called the Rowan suite, is due to open at the start of next month when the hospital's name will officially change.