YOUNG daredevils are rolling back the years after a skatepark was brought back into use in a North-East village.

The skatepark in the grounds of Hurworth Grange, near Darlington, has received a makeover after becoming dilapidated and unusable for several years.

Now, the historic quarter pipe has been partially restored, and a new launch ramp and hip ramp have been added to make the area more exciting to skate in and increase the number of tricks possible in the park.

Graham Wylie, chairman of Hurworth Parish Council, said: “We asked around about the skate park, and more than 300 people responded to say they used to skate there all the time, and they’d love to see it returned to its former glory.

“We decided to do something about it because it would be a really good thing for the kids and young people of the village if we renovated it, and now it’s done, it looks really great.”

Young skaters from Hurworth and beyond have already brought along scooters and skateboards to try out the new equipment – some coming from as far away as Newcastle to have go.

Businesses were invited to submit quotes for the work, and the cheapest pitch was made by local ground worker, Kelvin Russell, who splits his time between running his construction company, volunteering on the Parish Council, and running the village youth football team, Hurworth Albion.

Kelvin said: “It took about two weeks of solid work to renovate things: digging out the original foundations, then starting from scratch laying new concrete, and creating the new ramps.

“The younger kids with their scooters seem to really like it, and the older skateboarders, who have really driven the project, have been using it. At the end of the day, they are who it’s for, and it’s really good to see the skate park being used again.”