SKATEBOARDERS in Woodbridge are causing misery for some people and could end up in a fatal road accident, residents claim.People living in the area of Seckford Hall Road have had enough of youngsters using the pavements near their homes for the sport.

By Jessica Nicholls

SKATEBOARDERS in Woodbridge are causing misery for some people and could end up in a fatal road accident, residents claim.

People living in the area of Seckford Hall Road have had enough of youngsters using the pavements near their homes for the sport.

Backed by community policeman Robin Pivett, several residents got together to lobby the town council to provide a skateboard park for the youngsters.

Resident Jacqueline Brume said that youngsters often used the road until late at night and feared that there would soon be an accident.

She said: "The teenagers want to enjoy using their skateboards but we feel they should do so in a safe environment.

"Not criss-crossing roads and around cars and putting themselves in jeopardy.

"There will be a fatality and that won't be too far away."

After the meeting she described how some residents had called the police when a group of around eight youngsters had ended up skating over gardens and driveways.

Pc Pivett said at the meeting that during January the police had taken nine phone calls from people complaining about skateboarders.

He said: "During December there was also a road accident where a young man was knocked over and had to go to hospital.

"Parks and car parks are not safe places for skateboards.

"This is something that was talked about 18 months ago – we seem to be doing a lot of talking about it but not doing anything."

As well as safety problems, noise in the streets was also a major concern as their quiet evenings at home are all too often disturbed by the rumble of skateboard wheels on pavements and the constant thuds of them jumping off kerbs.

One venue suggested by residents, for a skateboard park was Kingston Field, although the councillors objected on the grounds that it was too near houses.

After the meeting town mayor Les Binns said that the council was very much in support of building a skate park and that some money had already been set aside to put towards it.

He said: "It is just a matter of trying to find a place for it to go.

"We have to put it where the kids can get to it, but it is away from residential areas.

"A lot of those places are owned by Suffolk Coastal so we would happy to discuss this with them."

n Skate boarders injuries treated at Ipswich Hospital. See page 15.