AN award-winning Clitheroe skate park aimed at steering youngsters away from drugs is to close after being repeatedly vandalised.

But there are to replace it with a state-of-the-art facility using cash from Ultraframe founder John Lancaster.

The £30,000 skate park in the grounds of Clitheroe Castle was the brainchild of the former Activate project at the town's Trinity Youth and Community Centre.

But it became the subject of a wrangle between Activate and Ribble Valley Council bosses over its maintenance after it was repeatedly targeted by vandals.

Now the council has called time on the popular skate park, claiming it is a dangerous liability and drain on public funds.

Chief engineer Graham Jagger said: "We took on responsibility for the maintenance of the skate park, but it wasn't particularly well designed or constructed and was difficult to maintain.

"Vandalism at the skate park was also extensive. It was covered in graffiti and we were sweeping up glass up on a regular basis. It has become a drain on our resources and is dangerous.

"It is not the fault of the legitimate users, but following an insurance claim from one user we have decided to close it down. We have been pushed into this decision, because the skate park has become uneconomical to run."

Members of the council's community committee agreed unanimously on the closure.

The park was launched in 1999 as a boredom-beating alternative for youngsters, who might otherwise be tempted by drugs.

A team of 30 youngsters aged 10 to 18 from the Activate project spent 18 months designing the facility and raising cash for it.

And shortly after being opened it was runner-up in the Government's Peter Lawrence Awards, which recognise exceptional community work by young people in memory of the murdered London head teacher.

But things turned sour when the youngsters claimed the council was not doing enough to keep it up to scratch.

Now the Lancaster Foundation, the charity funded by former Ultraframe boss John Lancaster, has said it will fund a replacement.

Geoff Jackson, chief executive officer of the Trinity Community Partnership, which is overseeing the new project, said: "The scheme is currently been put out to tender.

"The current facility is not in good condition and will be completely redeveloped. We can't put a price on it yet, but it will be a substantial development.

"It will be a top-class facility, one of the biggest and best in the country, and should open by August at the latest."