A NEW £127, 000 skatepark has been created in Runcorn.

The sports facility which includes a climbing unit, BMX track and jogging path has been built by Halton Council on The Glen in Palacefields.

The innovative park is not only for skaters and BMX riders but is also for scooter riders.

A BMX exhibition and training event will be held to celebrate the opening of the park on Saturday, July 16, from 1pm to 3pm.

A scooter superstar will join a professional exhibition team from Rampworks to will demonstrate the incredible tricks and skills that can be performed.

Workshops will be provided on the day to encourage children, young people and their families to learn new techniques and take part in the event.

The park follows comments by residents who wanted to improve the environment and provide somewhere for children and teenagers to play and relax safely.

Halton Cllr Ron Hignett, board member for the physical environment, said: "After consultation with the local community we felt we needed to do something more for young people in this area."

It is expected that the average age of riders using the park will be 12 years old.

There have also been improvements to landscaping including tree planting to make the area more pleasant for people of all ages to enjoy.

Expertise was provided by Gravity Skateparks working with David Webster and Sons Ltd of Widnes.

Cash came from a £75,000 Wren grant, Halton Council's Beechwood and Halton Lea Local Area Forum which provided £25,627 and £26,700 from Halton Council's capital playgrounds budget.

A boom in scooter riding follows retailers making the sport more accessible.