graffiti daubers

Vandals have attacked the Otley Space to Grow skatepark which was pioneered by a grandmother.

They scrawled graffiti on skate ramps at the park and even on the skating surface itself. But the graffiti is to be removed from the park which has been hailed a great success.

One youngster using the skating facilities said the graffiti was the work of older children who visit the skatepark to drink at night. Another said the graffiti wasn't offensive and didn't contain any swear words.

One of the scrawlings would appear to indicate a friction between those using in-line skates and those using skateboards. It reads: 'Kill All Boarders'.

Another is a partially completed copy of the symbol of US hip-hop group The Wu-Tang Clan.

But the chairman of Space Grow, Leeds City Councillor and Otley Town Councillor Phil Coyne (Labour, Ashfield Ward), said: "There shouldn't be any decoration at all on the skatepark. Some of it may have some aesthetic value in the eyes of some people, but it will attract other graffiti which hasn't got any aesthetic value.

"We have decided to keep it clean and it will be removed. I have been talking to the parks department and they will inform the graffiti unit and it will be removed."

Coun Coyne said that, otherwise, the project was going very well, and there would be moves to lend out safety equipment and look to further develop recreational facilities for children and young people.

He said: "It is well used by different age groups. We hope some skaters will be taking part in the Otley Carnival.''

Seventy-year-old Betty Bevan was the driving force behind the £60,000 skate park after finding that local youngsters had nowhere to go in their spare time.

Betty became a children's champion after telling youngsters to stop riding their bikes and skates on pavements outside sheltered housing and embarked on the two-year project to create the park.

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