WORKMEN wielding acetylene torches began to dismantle Chippenham's doomed skatepark on Tuesday.

The owner, North Wiltshire District Council, struck a deal with GBH, the original manufacturer of the skatepark equipment, and paid £600 for it to take the ramps away.

The company will then be responsible for the equipment and will dispose of it or sell it on.

The dismantling was halted on Wednesday because of the wet weather but it will continue later. The fence and Tarmac surface will remain for the time being.

Once the equipment has been taken away the district council will no longer need its security staff to keep youngsters out. The security guards have cost the district council £284 a week since the closure of the skatepark on June 24 a total of around £1,700.

Members of the council's executive committee agreed last week to employ a separate noise consultant to assess whether more appropriate equipment could be resited in Monkton Park.

The district council is also looking to set up a temporary park at the town's Bridge Centre for the summer holidays

The building is controlled by Wiltshire County Council, and its chief executive, Keith Robinson, said safety considerations would have to be met .

Mr Robinson has also agreed to look into building a permanent skatepark behind the Bridge Centre.

"This would involve demolishing the large former garages and using the land behind them," he said.