A SKATE park has been saved because of a move to British-made equipment.

Sedgefield Borough Council has been forced to pull the plug on a modern mobile skate park because of high running costs.

But the council has identified new kit that will cost half the price to operate and which it believes will be better for the whole borough, reaching more communities than ever.

The original skate park was shipped from the US for £41,000, paid for by Spennymoor, Great Aycliffe, Fishburn and Chilton town councils.

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

Phil Ball, the council's 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 licence.

"This new equipment is similar but without a large half-pipe so it 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 - decreasing costs to the council and hopefully benefiting more residents."