A NEW skatepark worth a hundred thousand pounds has opened in Whiteparish.

The new facility, at the Whiteparish Memorial Ground, was formally opened last week by the youth design team and Sarah Skeates, who initiated the project, with high spirits all round despite the wet weather.

It comes after the village was awarded a grant of £50,000 from funding body Sport England, plus a £20,000 funding boost from The Cleansing Service Group and £7,5000 from The Hills Group Limited.

The parish council also received a £5,000 grant award from Wiltshire Council Southern Area Board and a further £15,000 payment from developers under section 106 planning agreements.

A statement from the Parish Council said: "[The Parish Council] is extremely grateful for the help given by Mrs Skeates, a local resident, who worked tirelessly and with great enthusiasm and dedication to accomplish the funding for the new skatepark.

"No longer do people have to travel across the county to use skate facilities.

"The village now has an amazing free formed concrete skatepark."

Maria Pennington, Whiteparish parish clerk, said: "It [the skatepark] is amazing, and we are very lucky to now have the facility.

"I'd like to thank all the people who turned out, because the weather couldn't have been worse.

"It was more like a swimming pool than a skate park."

A spokesman for the council added: "As a further launch of the skatepark the Parish Council is arranging a skate jam next year.

"This should be a fun-filled event to signify its opening and include competitions with prizes for all ages and ability, and games for juniors to play."