SKATEBOARDERS in Dursley will soon be able to show off their skills on a brand new skatepark.

Building work on the first phase of the £25,000 facility at the recreation ground has started and is likely to be completed in time for the Easter weekend.

The project was supposed to have got under way at the end of February but was delayed by the adverse weather.

Youngsters currently skate in the town centre - a situation frequently described by councillors as "an accident waiting to happen" and there have been several near misses reported involving skaters and pedestrians or vehicles.

The new facility will be built from concrete and has been designed to mimic the challenges of skateboarding in an urban environment.

Town clerk Ann Leaney said: "The skatepark is being built to give the kids street skating without actually being on the streets.

"It has been designed to recreate the kind of obstacles that they are using now, but without the obvious dangers to pedestrians and themselves."

Funding for the project has been acquired from Stroud District Council (£10,000), Westbury Homes (£10,000), Dursley Town Council (£6,000) and community policing (£2,000).

Around half of the money is being used to build the 15 x 20 metre facility, which will be made mainly of concrete and is sited on the recreation ground near the junction of Kingshill Road and Rednock Drive.

The rest of the cash will be used on a second building phase at a later date. Mrs Leaney added: "We are keeping enough money back so that we can add to and improve the skatepark in the future.

"What we do then really depends on what the skaters ask for, but the whole point of having the street skating-style is to offer something different from what they have built in Cam."