Skatepark is ready to roll

One mystery benefactor donated £2,000 after seeing the hard work teenagers had put in to raise funds for the park.

On Monday night the parish council announced it had secured a £2,585 grant from the Local Network Fund.

Now campaigners hope the state-of-the-art park can be completed within months.

David Perkins, Edington parish councillor, has been working with children to raise funds for the park.

He said: "The youngsters have been fantastic and very proactive.

"During Edington Music Festival one man from the other side of the country was so impressed with their hard work he wrote out a cheque for £2,000.

"Fundraising is nearly complete and with any luck we can get it built before Christmas."

The original target for the skate park was reached this week but plans for an extra half-pipe have raised the total required.

Over the past few months skaters have organised a sponsored walk and sold tea towels at Edington Fair and Music Festival.

Cllr Perkins said: "We have backed the project to reflect

the hard work put in by skateboarders."

Brothers Shane and Lee Newman, Michael Hiscock and Tom Rutland presented the parish council with a proposal for a skatepark in May.

Since the scheme was backed, the proposal has changed and now includes an extra half-pipe for more challenging skate boarders.

Campaigners are hoping a final push can take the total to £22,000.

Cllr Perkins said: "We have already had great support from many local businesses and benefactors and now this target is within our grasp."

This summer the project has received £4,500 from the Viridor Landfill Trust, £1,200 from the sponsored walk, over £1,000 from selling tea towels as well as cash from numerous local businesses and West Wiltshire District Council.

A site has been earmarked on Edington playing fields and will include two half-pipes, grind rails and a T-box as the centrepiece.

All facilities will be supplied by Record Playgroup Equipment Ltd.