AN ACCIDENT has prompted renewed pressure for a skateboard park in Richmond.

A 13-year-old boy was still seriously ill in hospital in Middlesbrough yesterday after falling 20ft through a skylight at Colburn Primary School.

He was among a group of children using the roof for stunts on Saturday and suffered head injuries as he fell into the kitchen.

But police confirmed that even after the accident youngsters had returned to the school and were once more on the roof of the buiolding.

Richmondshire District Council rejected plans for a skateboarding arena in Ronaldshay Park last month.

Although planners supported the principle of proper facilities for the sport, opponents claimed the chosen site was too close to nearby homes and would mean relocating a five-a-side football pitch, also established by public demand.

The Richmond branch of the YMCA - which has agreed to front applications for grants to cover the cost of the scheme - has since confirmed it is to appeal against the decision.

Even the local authority's leisure chiefs have added their weight to the campaign for a change of heart.

However, the accident on Saturday has underlined the lack of proper facilities.

Former mayor John Harris, a town and district councillor , said yesterday: "Anybody concerned about youngsters and their safety would like to see them with proper facilities.

"Children will often try things which adults would consider dangerous; the ideal would be a properly supervised skate park and continued education about public safety."

Colburn County Primary head Graham Else agreed a skate park could help to limit the potential for trouble.

He said: "CCTV has helped keep the number of incidents of trespass and vandalism at the school to a minimum over the past four years.

"However, we have noticed an increase in both over recent months and, although I support the principle of a skateboarding facility, it would need to be in Colburn if it was to have any impact on the problems we have here."