YOUNGSTERS in Studley have wrecked £2,000 worth of work to repair their own skate park.
Local youths – both boys and girls – have been filmed on CCTV breaking down fences designed to protect the park while a new tarmac coating set.
Once inside they then picked lumps out of the newly laid surface.
Now fed up parish councillors are to write to local schools asking them to tell their pupils to leave the skate park alone while the re-surfacing work is done again.
They are also asking schools to pass the message on to parents so they can exert some influence over their children.
Parish clerk Lesley Gailey told a meeting of councillors how last week the park had been closed for five days and signs put up explaining why.
She said by Monday these had all been ripped off.
“As soon as the contractor left, children were on the park. The same thing happened on Tuesday and Wednesday but this time the fence was broken down,” she said.
By Thursday the newly laid tarmac had grooves in it from skateboards and bikes.
“Over the weekend it has been absolutely destroyed, and not just by riding on it but they have actually been digging it up,” she added.
Councillors acknowledged that a brawl in the park on Saturday between Redditch and Studley youths had possibly been a cause of some of the damage, but noted incursions had started from day one.
They also recognised hot weather may have played a part in the tarmac not setting properly, while issues with the contractor had led to him offering to re-lay the surface free of charge as a sign of goodwill.
Councillor Jim Bacon said: “We have had a situation which was unusual and I think the Studley lads will recognize that this work is being done on their behalf.”
The meeting agreed the skate park was the most used facility for youngsters in the village and that with the co-operation of those youngsters, their parents and the schools, they would once again attempt to repair it.
