A 'HALFPIPE' at Malvern Youth Centre, used by skateboarders and inline skaters to improve skills, has been moved to Tenbury Wells by Malvern Hills District Council.

Town skaters are dismayed at the move, saying remaining facilities at Victoria Park are "useless".

The Victoria Park site becomes waterlogged when it rains, according to skaters, and 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.

Ben Land, a 15-year-old pupil at The Chase, said: "The ramps are falling apart. At the bottom of them the metal is coming away from the concrete. They're not very safe."

But Kevin Douglas, corporate director for community safety at MHDC, said the halfpipe at the centre was always intended to be temporary.

"The youth centre made it fairly clear that it didn't want it there and they have been pressing us for it to be moved," 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 personally I think it's fantastic. There has been a problem with a small element of undesirables and the residents but in terms of the facility itself I think it's second to none."

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

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

Ms Lansdowne said: "We are thinking about putting acoustic sound barriers around the edge of the park. But it's a cost issue as they are around £4000."

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

A rail has also been removed due to safety concerns.

Another Chase pupil, David Renforth, said: "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."