TEENAGERS in Great Harwood are urging council bosses to get their skates on with a new development to help take youths off the streets.

But councillors say the issue is being looked into and hopefully a solution will be found soon.

Sixteen months ago friends Lee Pickup and Mat Thomas approached Hyndburn Borough Council about the possibility of providing a suitable area for skateboarders as they were fed up of being moved on by police and residents.

Lee, 14, of Park Lane, said: "We have been constantly forced to move from our favoured skate spots and thought a simple solution would be to contact the council and ask if they would provide a skate park.

"We went to one of the area council meetings and they suggested an ideal location on some wasteland on St James Street but nothing seems to have been done about it since.

"Residents are always complaining that there are groups of youths hanging round on the streets.

"But if we had a skate park it would take them off the street as they would have something to do."

A dozen children and young adults are using the Co-op car park in Queen Street and school playgrounds to practise in.

The spot recommended by the council is the former site of Western County School which is owned by the council.