PLANS for a £22,500 BMX jump track in a park may be shelved after fierce opposition from local residents.

In March, Barnard Castle Town Council discussed plans for a cycle park that would feature 25 different types of jumps, ramps and platforms at Kalafat, behind the Bowes Museum.

But the town council may be forced to look for another location after locals objected.

The working group for the plan will recommend at Monday evening's council meeting that the planning application for the jump park be withdrawn.

Barnard Castle town clerk Geoff Bosworth said: "We want to support the youngsters in this town and give them this facility, but in the context of all the opposition we have received, we don't think it's suitable for us to go ahead with the plans."

With some of the jumps being 5ft high and a row of bungalows bordering Kalafat, many residents said it would impose too much on their privacy.

Trixie Selby, who has lived at Kalafat with her husband, Tom, for about 14 years, said: "There was uproar from everyone living around here when the plans were announced.

"It's a stupid place to put it. There's about six houses with elderly or disabled living nearby.

"We don't need that. There would be children of all ages there and they could be there at any time in the day or night.

"Everyone is happy for something like this in Barnard Castle, but if the council finds somewhere more sensible to put it."

Mr Bosworth said: "We are looking at other possibilities around the town, such as Dawson Road.

"Initially, Dawson Road was ruled out because it didn't have the correct gradient.

"But we might take another look at that now. The danger is that we run out of time, because we have funding but it needs to be spent by the end of March next year."

Other sites mentioned during initial discussions included Green Lane and Marwood Drive.

Work will still be carried out on the Kalafat site, with £15,000 being spent on making a larger grassed area.