Youngsters are celebrating victory after their successful campaign for a skate park.

Enthusiasts in Pickering, Kirkbymoorside and Thornton-le-Dale have long been calling for facilities to use skateboards, in-line skates and roller skates.

Now they have a park which could become a major competition venue for the North with its high-tech ramps of international standard.

The park has been created at Thornton-le-Dale, and was built with the help of grants from Ryedale District Council and the environmental group, Yorventure. "The kids were consulted at every stage of the design process," said designer John Musker, of Coxwold firm Image Playground.

"They came and told us exactly what they wanted and we built it.

"There is nothing like this in the whole of the North of England. The only parks which compare are in Birmingham and London.

"We're hoping it will attract skaters from outside the Ryedale area."

The park features ramps made from high-tech plastic, which will withstand bad weather, and reduce the amount of noise generated by skaters.

Mr Musker said: "They are the sort of ramps used by competition-level skaters. So in the next few years we could well see some skateboarding champions coming from the Ryedale area."

The park was opened by the chairman of Ryedale District Council, David Cussons.