SOUGHT-AFTER skating facilities for young people in Pool-in-Wharfedale are proving very popular, say villagers.

Since the new skate park was set up late last week, children and teenagers have been flocking in around the clock to try out their skills on skateboards and in-line skates.

Community organisation Pool 2020 took up the drive for a skate park around 18 months ago, after young people told villagers at a public meeting there was nothing for them to do in Pool.

Cash for building the skate park came from the £80,000 sum allocated to the village by housing developers Redrow, which paid the money for leisure provision, as a condition of gaining planning permission for houses on Swallow Drive.

Bernard Mitchinson, of community group Pool 2020 said: "It has been visited almost non-stop, it's absolutely amazing.

"Parents are saying they haven't seen their children at all.

"On the first night, they were playing on it until 9.30pm, and some stayed on until quarter to 11."

Villagers say the light from the nearby Shell filling station has illuminated the skate park at night, and enabled young people to continue their skating after dark.

Pool parish councillors heard at their meeting on Monday (March 11) that the skate park has been extremely successful - but found there is a need for new waste paper bins.

The meeting heard that the current litter bins around the area have been unable to cope with the influx of skateboarders and in-line skaters, and litter is now blowing around the area.

The parish lengthman has been sent to clean up the litter, but the parish council is now looking into providing larger waste paper bins and extra bins.