YOUNG people in Sedgefield borough will continue to enjoy skate park facilities on their doorstep.

Sedgefield Borough Council has been forced to pull the plug on a mobile skate park because of high running costs. But the council has identified kit that will cost half the price to operate and which it believes will be better for the whole borough reaching more communities.

The original facility was shipped in from the US for £41,000, with funds from Spennymoor, Great Aycliffe, Fishburn and Chilton town councils.

But Sedgefield Borough Council needed to slash the £18,000 a year running costs so has identified British-made equipment that will cost about half that to operate.

Phil Ball, head of leisure services, said: "The mobile skate park has been popular with young people so we wanted to maintain the service.

"But it was costly to operate and because of its size we needed a highly qualified driver with a HGV driver's license.

"This new equipment is similar but without a large half-pipe so can be taken out on the back of a trailer and drivers will be easier to find.

"We can continue to take it to Spennymoor, Newton Aycliffe, Fishburn and Chilton but also visit other communities who book it and can meet the basic costs. It seems the best of both worlds."