A COUNCIL has finally taken delivery of a rare item of skateboarding equipment after a marathon journey from the US.

But the prized stunt ramp, which is to form the centrepiece of a mobile skateboard park, nearly didn't make it to the region after it was seized by customs officials.

Equipment for Sedgefield Borough Council's mobile park, in County Durham, has been arriving all summer but the specialist ramp, called a halfpipe, had to be ordered from a firm in San Francisco.

The unusually shaped piece was taken by road to Long Beach, California, then spent four weeks on a ferry through the Panama Canal and across the Atlantic Ocean.

But when it landed in Southampton last week, it had customs officials scratching their heads.

Bernd Bangel, the council's youth services coordinator, said: "With it being a very unusual piece of equipment, the customs officers pulled it right away.

"There were faxes flowing backwards and forwards to confirm it is what it says it is, on the paperwork."

The halfpipe was finally released and it arrived at the council's Chilton depot yesterday.

Mr Bangel said: "We're all very excited about it and couldn't wait to see it, because there's nothing like it anywhere outside of the United States and we're very proud of it."

The halfpipe is part of the council's skateboard park, which is to tour towns and villages in the borough.

Great Aycliffe, Spennymoor, Chilton and Fishburn councils have all made financial contributions to the scheme and the park will visit each area one day a week.

It should be operational as soon as the council is satisfied it can transport the halfpipe safely around the borough.