A HALFPIPE at Malvern Youth Centre used by skateboarders and inline skaters has been moved to Tenbury Wells.

Devastated skaters, furious with Malvern Hills District Council for forcing the move, claim the remaining facilities at Victoria Park are "useless".

They say the Victoria Park site becomes waterlogged when it rains and complain the ramps are poorly maintained.

Skaters are now resorting to unofficial locations such as car parks and Priory Park, as well as venturing further afield to Worcester.

"The ramps are falling apart," said 15-year-old Ben Lane, a pupil at The Chase.

"At the bottom the metal's coming away from the concrete. They're not very safe."

Another Chase pupil, David Renforth, added: "We go to a place and then we get chucked out.

"Everyone tells us to go to the skatepark, but the rail's gone and we get soaked from all the puddles."

Kevin Douglas, the district council's corporate director for community safety, said the halfpipe was always intended to be temporary.

"The youth centre made it fairly clear it didn't want it and has been pressing us to move it," he said.

The halfpipe was originally scheduled to go to Upton, but skaters there decided they did not want it.

"Tenbury was next in line on basis of need," said Mr Douglas.

"The facility in Victoria Park is the responsibility of the town council, but I think it's fantastic.

"There have been problems with a small element of undesirables and residents, but in terms of the facility itself, it's second to none."

Rosemary Lansdowne, acting town clerk, said: "We're aware that drainage is a problem. Malvern Hills District Council put the park in and we've inherited the problem."

The park has proved controversial with residents complaining about noise and anti-social behaviour.

"We're thinking about putting acoustic sound barriers around the edge of the park. But they're around £4,000," Ms Lansdowne added.

Following complaints, lights at the park are not turned on at night so it cannot be used on winter evenings.