Money has started pouring in for Ilkley's skateboard park project after the gauntlet was thrown down to the town's millionaires to put their hands in their pockets.

Ilkley floor tiler Mark Whittington challenged the wealthiest local residents a fortnight ago to give £267.85 each to the Pipedream charity behind the scheme.

That amount, if given by each of the town's 112 millionaires, would bring in the £30,000 still needed to turn the project into a reality.

Mr Whittington's girlfriend Lucy Cherrington and her business partner at Ilkley hairdressing salon Shine, Liza Harrison, started the ball rolling by sending in the first cheque.

Now other Ilkley companies and individuals have begun to follow suit. In the last week alone Ilkley businessman John Daure, who runs Merry Maids, has sent in a cheque for £267.85 while another, anonymous donor has given £270 in cash.

The Moors Management Company Limited, meanwhile, which runs the Moors Shopping Centre in Ilkley, has given the campaign a huge boost by donating £500.

Miss Cherrington, co-owner of Shine along with Miss Harrison, said the influx of money was "fantastic news". She said: "I think having a skateboard park would help both the town and the young ones who have an interest in it.

"It would keep them off the streets, where they can cause a nuisance, and mean parents can drop them off where they know they can enjoy themselves safely."

Pipedream has now received more than £10,000 in donations and pledges, another £15,000 from Bradford Council and it expects to bring in £5,000 from its Easter Raffle Prize Draw. That should see the charity's running total standing at £30,000.

But it needs between £55,000 and £60,000 to build its planned riverside skateboard park off New Brook Street to give young skateboarders in the town somewhere to go.

Donor Mr Daure, of Riverside Walk, Ilkley, is also a member of the Pipedream Committee.

In a letter with his £267 cheque he explained why he had decided to support the project with his own money.

He said: "The reason the skateboarders skate in areas where they are requested not to do so is precisely that there is no proper facility for them.

"As residents of Ilkley we must all live together in as much harmony as possible and hopefully the skate park will reduce some of the tension currently existing between the skateboarders and those residents who are unhappy with the current situation.

"Once the skate park is built and if it is not utilised then I will be the first to condemn the skateboarders using the town centre for their activities. My own children included.

"But as the owner of a local business I am far more interested in the attitude of Mark Whittington, in that the wealthy of Ilkley should contribute towards the park."

Pipedream finance committee member William Whitaker said he was delighted with the response to Mr Whittington's challenge.

He said: "This is tremendous news and we are now past the half way mark. We would like to thank people for taking this new

initiative in fund raising because the more people involved in raising money at this stage the sooner we will be able to announce the building of the park.

"We are hoping to be able to confirm it's going ahead by Easter, and to have it open in time for the summer holidays.

"This week we will be approaching Ilkley Parish Council for permission to hold a series of Saturday morning car washes in the central car park to involve the skateboarders themselves, because it's important we have something for them.

"And I would urge those who don't have £270 spare to go to one of the local retailers selling our raffle tickets and support the campaign in that way."

Anyone who would like to help the campaign can send cheques made payable to Pipedream to the Ilkley Gazette at 8 Wells Road, Ilkley, LS29 9JD.