A SKATE and bike park has come a little closer to reality with the donation of £3,000 from the Neil Griffin Opportunities for Youth Trust.

The trust, established in March 1999, was set up to help educate and assist young people through their leisure time activities in the Durham area.

The trust saw the efforts to raise money for their own skate and bike park as an ideal candidate for funding.

The coming together of a group of young skaters, bikers and bladers, lobbying organisations and agencies formed The Durham Skate and Bike partnership.

Representatives from police, Investing in Children, Durham City Council, parish and county councillors, young people and members of the community are all involved in order to raise funds to try to establish skateboarding facilities in the Durham City area.

The cheque will be handed over to a group of young skateboarders at the Abbey Leisure Centre by Neil Griffin at 4.30pm today.