A SKATEBOARD park built by young people on wasteland in Aldershot has been demolished by Rushmoor Borough Council.

The council cited “health and safety” reasons for the removal of the Laupside park, but said its location was also a factor.

The skate park was on council land beside the Warburg car park, which is due to be redeveloped as part of the Westgate scheme.

Around 30 skaters, aged between six and 42, who met for a “skate jam” were disappointed when they turned up on Saturday.

They left for another park in Fleet, but Stu Smith - from skateboarding company Lovenskate - said it was a “sorry shame” that Laupside had been destroyed.

"In the last few months Laupside has grown peacefully and steadily,” he said. 

“Locals have seen it as an opportunity to build something positive within the Aldershot skateboard scene, on waste ground used in the past only for junkies and prostitution."

And he said Saturday’s event was not going to be an “illegal rave or a drunken brawl”.

“It would have been a celebration of what creative minds and positive hearts can do when they put their heads together."

For more on this story, see the News & Mail, out now.

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