A DELEGATION of young skateboarders turned up at the latest Addingham Parish Council meeting to announce the daunting news that they need to raise £14,000.

The youngsters have been looking a different ways to fundraise in order to buy ramps and other equipment at the village skatepark.

The park, at the rear of the Memorial Hall car park, was opened earlier this year as an area of flat hard surface.

But skaters have complained that the area need livening up with ramps and other equipment similar to the skate part at Ilkley.

They have tried making their own ramps but complaints have been made about broken pieces of wood and metal being left dangerously close to the nearby children's play area.

Parish Council vice-chairman Michael Aldridge told the youngsters that a letter had been received about someone being injured by debris from makeshift skating obstacles.

"They were hurst by someone throwing an iron bar about," said Coun Aldridge. Bradford Council workers had been clearing the area of debris but the youngsters told the meeting that sturdy home made ramps had also been removed and disposed of by the cleaners.

Parish councillors told the youngsters that the local authority had a duty to make sure the area was safe and could not leave unauthorised equipment lying around.

The children said they had contacted a specialist company which provided skateboard equipment and had been quoted £14,000 for the things they wanted.

They said they had looked at different ways of fundraising and applying for grants. Rather than wait to purchase all the equipment at one go, they said they would try and buy it piecemeal.

Addingham Youth Club leaders had also promised to let the youngsters use the premises for fund raising activities.

Coun Aldridge said that the Parish Council chairman Gordon Campbell was also looking at ways of raising money towards the project.