An Otley grandmother who spearheaded a campaign to get a skateboard park has vowed to stop it becoming a no-go area because of drug takers.

Worried parents have reported to police seeing youngsters apparently smoking drugs at the skatepark in Wharfemeadows Park which has only been open a week.

But Betty Bevan, 70, left, who is acting secretary of the Space To Grow project which raised cash for the skateboard park, today said she was determined that the group's officials and skaters alike would drive out any drug takers.

She said: "This used to happen down there anyway and isn't isolated to the skatepark - it's not the skatepark that's attracted drug takers, they were in existence already.

"We don't want all these youngsters being thought of as drug users because they're not - it's not the skaters who are taking drugs.''

"They're upset about it as well and we're all going to be extra vigilant and won't allow this to happen - we've given them space to grow and aren't going to let anyone spoilt that.''

Police are patrolling the area after receiving complaints about drug-taking from parents.

Otley community police officer Sergeant Paul Johnston said: "We will be taking steps to look at the problem with the view of stamping it out.

"We were aware that large numbers of children are going down there but we did not anticipate drugs."

Councillor Phil Coyne, chairman of the Space to Grow project said: "It is worrying and I shall be talking to the police about it. It was perhaps inevitable in one way because unfortunately drugs are endemic now."

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