TEENAGER Luke Ridgeley felt so strongly about improving facilities for youngsters in Radcliffe that he penned a letter to council chiefs and received a round of applause for his efforts.

Luke (13) of Radcliffe Road, Bury, wants a BMX track where he and his friends can perform jumps and skids undisturbed. And when his letter was read out at the Radcliffe Area Board, Luke, who attended with his parents, was greeted with the ovation.

"My friends and I use a track we have made ourselves on empty land at the back of Derby High School. But there is only sand there which is not very good for building ramps as it lacks support," he said.

Luke, who is pictured on his bike (front) with fellow BMX boys Chris Taylor (12), Andre Shaw (12) and Tom Wike (13), added:"The nearest dirt track for bikes is in Heywood. We want Bury Council to find us a piece of suitable land where we can have something similar. It wouldn't be expensive and we could make our own ramps. All it needs is some soil or clay."

At the meeting, area board chairman Coun Barry Briggs said: "The skate pad in Radcliffe was a facility that was needed and is very successful. We will take up the idea of creating a bike dirt track with council officers."