Artist is arrested; Dreamspace creator questioned over double death tragedy.

Byline: By Neil McKay

DREAMSPACE artist Maurice Agis was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter yesterday after the deaths of two women in his inflatable creation in County Durham.

The 74-year-old abstract artist from East London was arrested at a pre-arranged meeting with detectives from Durham at Charing Cross police station in London.

Mother-of-two Claire Furmedge, 38, of Graythwaite, Chester-le-Street, and retired clerk Anne Collings, 68, of Dalton Heights, Seaham, both County Durham, were killed and more than a dozen people hurt in the tragedy at Riverside Park, Chester-le- Street, on July 23.

The inflatable - half the size of a football pitch - broke free from its moorings and reared more than 60 feet into the air.

Mrs Furmedge, a radiographer at Gateshead's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, was visiting the park with her children, Jessica, eight, and Emily, six.

Mrs Collings, a retired clerk, was with her 14-year-old grandson Craig.

Among the injured was three-year-old Rosie Wright, of Langley Park, County Durham, who suffered multiple injuries.

An investigation by Durham Police and the Health and Safety Executive is under way to determine how the inflatable sculpture broke free.

A force spokeswoman said: "A 74-year-old man from East London has been arrested this morning on suspicion of manslaughter.

"The man, who attended the station by appointment, is being questioned by Durham detectives investigating the incident that occurred on July 23 this year at the Riverside Park in Chester-le-Street."

Det Supt Neil Malkin, who is leading the inquiry, said: "Inquiries are continuing in this wide-ranging investigation.

"We are awaiting reports from the Health and Safety Executive's laboratory and it is likely to be summer next year before we are in a position to put a file before the Crown Prosecution Service."

Mr Agis, who created Dreamspace 10 years ago, was bailed pending further inquires.

The inflatable soared 20 metres before crashing to the ground. Dozens of families were inside.

He spoke about the tragedy for the first time in an exclusive interview with The Journal last September.

Mr Agis said he felt "desperately sad" for the families of those who died. "I was just completely shaken and stunned, it was just so unexpected," he said. "I was standing watching. I couldn't believe it was going up in the air.

"It was a lovely day, a beautiful day. Everybody was happy. There were masses of people and I was thinking this is very, very wonderful. And then it happened completely out of the blue.

"It went straight up, it went up 20 metres, and then across the ground."

Mr Agis described how he tried to grab a rope securing the artwork.

"I was hanging on to it, and then I fell over," he said. "It was horrible.

"Then there was an extraordinary response from the public who, when it landed, just rushed over and pulled the whole thing to bits to find if anyone was inside.

"I was in the midst of it, completely mesmerised. I could hardly move, I was just stunned."

Mr Agis was not available for comment last night.

CAPTION(S):

NIGHTMARE: Killed in the Dreamspace incident were Claire Furmedge, 38, top, and Elizabeth Collings, 68. Above, artist Maurice Agis in his inflatable sculpture Dreamspace.' ARTWORK: A Dreamspace sculpture similar to the one which killed two women at Chester-le-Street.