PFD report

Kay Wilson · Prevention of Future Deaths report

Pin Get email alerts Request correction

Issued 6 Mar 2026•County Durham and Darlington

Report record

Published report and response evidence

This page connects the concerns raised in this report with statements found in recipients’ published responses. A link shows a clear evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

View original report
Concerns
1

Raised in this report

Recipients
1

Named on the report

Responses found
1

Of 1 recipient

Stated actions
5

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Source document

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

Open published report

Concerns and recipient responses

Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

Concerns raised1

  1. Failure to prevent unrestricted and unguarded public access to a vertical drop
    Part of recurring concern: Failure to prevent public access to closed or restricted hazardous sitesPart of recurring concern: Inadequate physical barriers preventing access to dangerous drops or areas
Responses linked to these concerns

Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

Actions described in response An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.1

  1. Action

    Install a steel fence section to close the riverside wall gap and prevent unrestricted access to the drop.

    Stated by Durham County CouncilStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 7 May 2026.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Failure to prevent unrestricted and unguarded public access to a vertical drop

Wider context from the report

“A breach in the stone wall running north above the riverside from the east side of “County Bridge", Barnard Castle, provides unrestricted and unguarded access from a public area to a vertical drop of approximately 9 metres onto rocks and the River Tees below. ████████ ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Failure to prevent public access to closed or restricted hazardous sites; Inadequate physical barriers preventing access to dangerous drops or areas.

Open source report

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Install a steel fence section to close the riverside wall gap and prevent unrestricted access to the drop.

Verbatim wording from the response

“• In relation to the breach in the stone wall running north above the riverside from the east side of "County Bridge" it has been agreed that the most appropriate permanent control measure is the installation of a steel fencing section to fully close the gap in the existing stone wall and prevent unrestricted public access to the drop below.”

Source location

2026-0132 - Response from Durham County Council
Page 2 · response
Published 7 May 2026

Open published response

Other statements in published responses

These actions and other statements could not be clearly connected to one concern in this report.

Recipient-stated actions An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.4

  1. 1

    Continue periodic inspections and documented reviews of the area and site-specific risk assessment.

    Stated by Durham County CouncilStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 7 May 2026.
  2. 2

    Review and update the site-specific risk assessment to reflect the inquest findings.

    Stated by Durham County CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 7 May 2026.
  3. 3

    Repair the damaged wall section on the B6277 road west of the river.

    Stated by Durham County CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 7 May 2026.
  4. 4

    Inspect the breach in the stone wall and surrounding location for safety defects.

    Stated by Durham County CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 7 May 2026.

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Continue periodic inspections and documented reviews of the area and site-specific risk assessment.

Verbatim wording from the response

“• Periodic inspections and reviews of the area and the previous risk assessment will continue to be undertaken by council officers and documented.”

Source location

2026-0132 - Response from Durham County Council
Page 2 · response
Published 7 May 2026

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Review and update the site-specific risk assessment to reflect the inquest findings.

Verbatim wording from the response

“• A site-specific risk assessment for the site had been previously undertaken by council officers for this area and followed national guidance and methodology. This previous assessment was reviewed and updated to reflect the findings from the inquest.”

Source location

2026-0132 - Response from Durham County Council
Page 1 · response
Published 7 May 2026

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Repair the damaged wall section on the B6277 road west of the river.

Verbatim wording from the response

“• During the same visit, officers also inspected a separate section of wall previously identified as damaged and referenced in associated documentation as part of the Regulation 28 report. This wall was identified as being on the B6277 road on the western side of the river. It can be confirmed that this section had now been fully repaired. See photographs of repair attached in Appendix 1.”

Source location

2026-0132 - Response from Durham County Council
Page 1 · response
Published 7 May 2026

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Inspect the breach in the stone wall and surrounding location for safety defects.

Verbatim wording from the response

“• Officers from the council’s health and safety team attended the location on 25 March 2026 to inspect the breach in the stone wall located to the east of County Bridge, Barnard Castle.”

Source location

2026-0132 - Response from Durham County Council
Page 1 · response
Published 7 May 2026

Open published response
Back to top

Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026