Giant leap for town's children (From Western Telegraph)

Giant leap for town's children

After years of fundraising and meetings, the children of Newport have finally got their new skate park in a safe, off-road area adjoining the rugby club in Long Street.

With the help of Newport's Paul and Rose Harries, the skaters committee have had to overcome some local opposition, many technical problems and the need to raise some £12,500 to make it all happen.

Ollie Thomas, one of the town's skateboarders said: "The park is absolutely wicked and the committee hopes to see lots of local skaters riding the park in the future." To inaugurate the park, a competition, with prizes donated by local shopkeepers, was held to find the best skateboarder and rollerblader. The winners were Barry Francis and Dan Davies.

A subsequent barbecue raised over £100, which will go to finance much-needed further improvements to the park. The land for the park was made available by the people of Newport, who bought the field in 1950 in memory of those who fell in the war.

In opening the field and laying a commemorative plaque, Mr John Morris, a Second World War veteran, paid tribute to his fallen comrades and wished that he had had such a facility when he grew up in Newport in the 1920s and 1930s.