CRITICS of a proposed £100,000 skate park in a rural market town fear youths using it were cause vandalism to their homes.

The Skate8 project, in Thirsk, is seeking to develop land off Gravel Hole Lane, in nearby Sowerby, but it has run into strong criticism.

The facility would be a dedicated site for skateboards, rollerbladers and BMX riders with plans on a possible design drawn up.

The plans have been submitted to Hambleton District Council and it votes on it at its development control meeting on February 4.

Many of the locals living near the proposed site and also some members of Sowerby Parish Council are against the scheme.

Resident Margaret Allen said: "We are objecting to it simply as this is a residential area.

"There would be a lot of noise and vandalism and we have suffered from vandals before with windows broken.

"We call the police but by the time they get here the youths have gone.

"We don’t think Gravel Hole Lane is the area for this and there must be somewhere else."

The parish council has been asked to comment on the plans by the district and it is to hold a special meeting on January 21 to decide on its response.

Councillor Derek Stratton said: "I certainly feel that there should be some form of fence and CCTV and it needs to be supervised and I would be against this until that happens."

County council youth worker Lawrence Monaghan said: "This is what the youngsters have wanted for the last ten years.

"They are expensive to set up as they’re a dedicated facility and if we get further resources we would look at lighting, and CCTV there.

"We would look to open at certain times and we don’t want people there at midnight and it they were we’d get the police in."