A VICAR fears that skateboarders in Pershore could be hurt or even killed if a park is not provided for them.

The Rev Michael Tristram, of Pershore Abbey, is so concerned for their safety that he has appealed to townspeople to come up with a suitable site.

Mr Tristram said skateboarders were making it dangerous for themselves by skating in hazardous places. He said: "I'm in favour of a skating facility for the young people because they are putting themselves in danger.

"By skating outside St Andrews, they are creating a danger for themselves because they are near a main road and I have seen a few near misses.

"The trouble is, it's difficult to know where there would be a safe place for them to skate.

"I appeal to the people of Pershore to give some thought to this matter and come up with an idea and give them somewhere safe to skate."

His comments came just days after a group of skateboarders handed in a petition to the town council at its monthly meeting last Thursday.

Led by Matt Chippendale, aged 13, the skaters presented a petition signed by 272 people in the town in favour of a skate park.

Laying down the conditions, he said the park must be free of charge, open during school holidays and evenings and have ramps and slopes for beginners, as well as advanced skaters.

Matt said: "We are keen skateboarders but we are not allowed to skateboard in the park, so we skate around St Andrews, so we can be a problem to other members of the public as well.

"We enjoy our sport as it keeps us fit and healthy.

"We are also very keen about it and people have been asking for a designated skate park in Pershore."

Town clerk Chris Neal said he had written to Wychavon District Council to see how it could help out, and said there was £1,800 available, which had been left by a previous skateboarding club.

He warned that what the skateboarders had asked for in their petition would cost a lot more because they wanted a permanent facility that would be illuminated at night.

He added that he would pass the petition to the town council's finance and property committee, with a note saying similar applications had been considered in the past.