FRUSTRATED teenagers in Kessingland are to be given the chance to explain why they desperately need a skateboard park to be built for them in the village.

On August 4, skateboarders and BMXers will have an opportunity to present their views at a meeting of Kessingland Parish Council, which could be attended by Waveney MP Peter Aldous.

Because Kessingland lacks a skateboard park, teenagers are forced to travel to Normanston Park in Lowestoft, Beccles and Southwold to enjoy their hobby.

The situation is so desperate that the police have told the parish council that youngsters are putting their safety at risk by using any available road kerb to practice on.

Next month's meeting follows a council resolution passed last week supporting the call for better facilities for teenagers in Kessingland.

A Waveney District Council play area survey has shown that facilities for 13-to-18-year-olds in the village are below the district average.

As well as the parish council support, a campaign has been set up on the social networking site Facebook to get a skateboard park for Kessingland, and a parent support group has also been formed.

Last year, the clear demand for a skate park was illustrated when a mobile one was set up at the Hangout youth club in Francis Road – generating an enthusiastic response from young people in the village.

Liam Martin, chairman of Kessingland Parish Council said: 'This project could be of great benefit to the village, but it will need everyone to pull together to make it happen.

'A gap in the play provision for teenagers in Kessingland has been identified and this project could fill this gap.'

A statement from the parish council said: 'The parish council have invited the young people to give a presentation of their ideas to the parish council at a meeting on Thursday, August 4 to which the MP Peter Aldous has also been invited.'

If a suitable site can be found for the proposed skatepark, Waveney District Council's play and open space development manager has pledged to ask the Big Lottery Fund for up to �80,000 for the project.