South Tyneside

Press release: Success for Toxic Trow hero

South Tyneside Friends of the Earth congratulate former National Trust warden Peter Collins at his success in his employment tribunal for unfair dismissal over the leaked 'Toxic Trow', report. The group says that if South Tyneside Council and the National Trust had been honest with the public, none of this would have happened, and Mr Collins needn't have risked his job.

Bryan Atkinson, South Tyneside FOE spokesperson said:

"This is a wonderful development and shows that Mr Collins was fully justified in his concerns that the dangers at Trow Quarry should not be hidden from the public. He has shown an enviable strength of commitment, acting out of conscience in trying to protect the public and the environment.

"The National Trust should now reinstate Mr Collins without delay. He is well respected by the public, and is a great ambassador for the Leas.

"However, South Tyneside Council and the National Trust need to try and regain the trust of the public over the whole sorry affair. An independent public inquiry would allow full and open scrutiny to establish why the report was buried, when the public should have been told of the risks. But more importantly, work should start as soon as possible to ensure the safety of the Quarry, for the people who use it and for our fragile environment."

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