IN many of our town centres weekend shoppers have to be constantly on the alert because of a hazard that has nothing to do with purse snatchers or drunks.

During school holidays the dangers are present on most weekdays too and require constant vigilance to avoid possible injury.

Skateboarders are the people who put young and old at risk as they weave their way through shopping precincts and leap down flights of steps or take off along any paved slope they can find that enables them to gain speed.

In Burnley town centre the bandstand in St James Street is a favourite spot but skateboarders will not have the excuse that they have "nowhere else to go" for much longer.

Building work has started on a skate park with all kinds of practice runs in Queen's Park and it is expected to be completed in September.

Around 250 young skaters were consulted about the project which is being developed with £235,000 of local authority and European money and will transform their dreams into reality.

Hopefully the park will prove to be an excellent centre in which skateboarders can develop their skills without being disturbed by others.

At the same time shoppers or all ages can walk through the town centre without the fear of being rammed by a boy or girl racer trying to gain enough speed to perform an acrobatic board manoeuvre.