Two restaurants in the North were ordered to close tonight by health officials inspecting gas appliances around the area where two teenage friends died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

The gas fitter at the centre of an investigation into the fatal poisoning of two teenage friends in a holiday apartment today pledged to co-operate with the authorities.

Health and safety experts in the North tonight issued a major alert after confirming that a defective appliance had been found at a seaside apartment where two teenage boys were killed by leaking gas fumes.