Policemen resign after New Year's Eve sex romp with schoolgirl.

Two constables who enjoyed a New Year's Eve romp with a schoolgirl in the back of their police van while on duty have been forced to resign.

Pc Marc Watson and Pc Michael Hendy quit their rural police posts after an internal investigation found them guilty of having the sexual encounter with the 17-year-old when they should have been working. Durham Police launched an inquiry into the antics of the officers, stationed at Barnard Castle, after details of late-night liaisons with women were published on the Internet.

The officers, both in their mid 20s, were implicated on Teesdale 2000 - a site purporting to be a quaint, rural tourist information guide which actually carried damning accusations about alleged police misconduct.

Following an internal police inquiry the constables were found guilty of engaging in sexual acts with the schoolgirl. The site claimed the two had also picked up another woman and a store worker, but no disciplinary charges were brought in connection with those allegations.

At the time the website was run from a Canadian address but is now under the control of a new server. Durham Police confirmed that Watson and Hendy were forced to resign. A police spokesman said: 'Two officers appeared before a misconduct hearing chaired by Assistant Chief Constable Ron Hogg. The hearing followed an internal inquiry about six months ago.

'That inquiry, led by a senior investigator, was launched following receipt of information alleging the two officers had misused police transport while on duty and had engaged in sexual acts with a teenage girl while on duty.

'The officers were each found guilty and have both been required to resign.'

It is understood that the Pcs picked up the 17-year-old sixth-former in Barnard Castle, County Durham, at 3am on New Year's Eve and driven to a sewage works. She was later interviewed by a superintendent from the force's Professional Standards Department.

The website said at the time: 'You could say taxpayers have been paying these officers for sex with the women of Barnard Castle.' It claimed the men at first denied the accusations, then changed their story after police were given more information.