| Butsfield | |
Looking north across the valley of the River Browney to East Butsfield |
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Butsfield
Butsfield shown within County Durham |
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| OS grid reference | NZ113453 |
|---|---|
| Shire county | County Durham |
| Region | North East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DARLINGTON |
| Postcode district | DL13 |
| Police | Durham |
| Fire | County Durham and Darlington |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
| List of places: UK • England • County Durham | |
Butsfield is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated a few miles to the south of Consett, near the village of Satley. Butsfield Burn Farm is the farm located at the centre of the Butsfield area.
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It was the location of a dispute between Albert Dryden and Derwentside District Council. Dryden had built a bungalow without planning permission, claiming that it was not required since only the roof was visible.
The council, along with police and a BBC camera crew, arrived to demolish the property on 20 June 1991. Dryden shot the council's chief planning officer, Harry Collinson (aged 46), dead. He then shot a police officer (Stephen Campbell) in the buttock and BBC Look North reporter Tony Belmont in the arm.
The fatal scene was captured on camera and transmitted on the BBC's local evening bulletin Look North. The footage shows Collinson asking the camera crew to take a shot of Dryden's gun. The camera pans to Dryden, who fires the gun at Collinson (now off screen). As everyone (including crew) disperses, Dryden shoots the police officer and the reporter. A fuller version of the footage, including a prior visit and the aftermath of the shooting, now forms part of the BBC's filming safety internal training course.
A photographer for local newspaper The Northern Echo photographed the scene from Dryden's side of the fence.