EIGHT people have appeared in court on charges of supplying drugs.

The defendants, from Ferryhill and Spennymoor, County Durham, appeared before Sedgefield magistrates yesterday. All are accused of drugs offences, including supplying heroin.

Six of the accused were remanded in custody until Monday, July 7, to appear before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe.

They are Paul Stephen Foster, 23, of Newton Street, Ferryhill; Joanne Littlewood, 31, of Westcott Terrace, Ferryhill; Shane Wintersgill, 23, of Ullswater Road, Ferryhill; John Oliver Thompson, 36, of Westcott Terrace, Ferryhill; Jeffrey Brown, 28, of Pearson Street, Spennymoor and Raymond William Garrett, 31, of Faraday Street, Ferryhill.

Donna Maria Gardner, 24, of Pearson Street, Spennymoor, and a 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were remanded on conditional bail until the same date.

A ninth defendant, Glen Paul Burnett, 22, of Ramsey Drive, Ferryhill, was discharged last week.