A NATIONAL Lottery grant of £76,000 will give Shildon youngsters their own bike and skateboard rink in a restored park.

Shildon Town Council made the bid for Lottery money after a group of young people presented a petition.

The Sport England Lottery organisation confirmed the grant yesterday, and work could start in Hackworth Park in a few weeks.

When it opens, the council hopes the rink will encourage children to stop hanging around the town centre.

Shildon town clerk Tom Toward said all sections of the community would benefit from the skateboard park.

He said: "This project will provide a safe outlet for local young people by providing facilities and the opportunity to participate in their activity free of charge.

"The scheme is an excellent project, regenerating the local park by providing a much-needed facility."

The new rink will be built next to a children's play area. Existing basketball hoops will make way for five pieces of street course equipment, including a mini-half-pipe driveway, a spine ramp, a split double-width mini-quarter pipe and a double rail slice.

Special surfacing will be installed, as well as terraced seating, floodlights operating on a timing system, a cycle rack and railings.

Judith Rasmussen, North-East regional director for Sport England, said: "This is a great project within a deprived area that gives young people the opportunity to bike and skateboard on state-of-the-art, purpose-built ramps and pipes in an appropriate environment."

The Hackworth Park is undergoing £800,000 worth of restoration which should be finished next year.