Skate park plan takes off

Two teenagers are delighted that their request for a skateboard park in Hadlow Down has been taken up by the parish council.

Thirteen-year-old Nick Roberts and his friend Barney Wheeler are usually ferried out of their home village to Newick or Heathfield to use skate parks, but they really wanted one closer to home so Nick wrote to the parish council.

He was delighted when he quickly got a letter back saying it was a great idea and there was a possibility something could be placed just inside the entrance to the playing field as part of the celebrations for the Queen s golden jubilee.

Nick was also invited by the council to draw up plans and suggestions of equipment while in the meantime advice would be sought from Wealden District Council and East Sussex County Council on how to proceed.

The two boys attend Uckfield Community College and have already drawn up their own proposals for the site. While Nick, of Waghorns Lane, likes roller blading, Barney, of Hall Lane, is a keen skateboarder and the park would suit both purposes. 'I just thought they would say they were going to build a play area and that would be enough. I was quite shocked when they liked the idea, said Nick.