A Skipton playground described as dangerous by local councillors and inspectors has been closed and children warned to keep out.

The Bold Venture playground, off Keighley Road has been recommended for closure by the North Yorkshire Playing Fields Association after a recent inspection of all Skipton Town Council's recreation grounds.

Signs went up this week warning that the playground was dangerous and children should keep out.

Councillor Paul Whitaker said the main reason for deciding to close the ground was that children were playing in the beck which ran by it building dens and moving furniture there.

Coun Whitaker said the council had had some trouble with a culvert on the beck and it was worried about the safety of the children.

A second reason for closing the run down playground was the metal railings which were loose and not safe.

"We have got to get that sorted out," said Coun Whitaker.

The NYPFA said that both the beck and the railings were dangerous, hazardous and contravened safety at play requirements.

Coun Whitaker said the recommendation from the inspectors was that a bridge should be built over the railway line into the Burnside recreation ground, and then £40,000 spent on the Burnside playing area. To pay for that the association said the town council should sell the Bold Venture land.

Coun Whitaker thought this suggestion was to try and make one decent playground out of two which needed a lot of work. He added that another advantage of having the bridge across the railway line was for Burnside residents to cross safely when going to get a bus into Keighley.

He added that the main problem the council faced was that it was responsible for 10 recreation grounds which was a large amount for a small town, and only so much could be done with a limited budget of £50,000 for this year.

Councillor Dennis Hall added: "I totally support, in the interests of safety at play, the recommendations ordered by the safety committee in respect of the closure of Bold Venture playground until some safety measures have been implemented."

The Herald understands that the Playing Fields Association has recommended that the site be sold for housing.

Other points raised by the NYPFA were that the goal posts were rotten at the bottom and the climbing frame and see saw had no safety surfacing underneath.

In recommending the playground for closure it also stated that there was very little evidence of children using the playground, except down by the beck where it was considered particularly unsafe.

No other playgrounds are under threat and the council has embarked on a rolling programme of refurbishment to provide better facilities for children in the town.

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