THEY are jumping for joy! After five years of trying, skateboarders and bikers on the Waterside have a fabulous new skatepark at Gang Warily recreation ground, Fawley.

The park - with its state-of-the-art ramps, boxes and roll-ins - cost £28,000, but parish councillors were quick to point out that council taxpayers were not footing the bill.

Fawley's parish chairman, Roger Randall, said: "This has been a long time coming but we were determined that it was not coming off the rates.

"All the money has come from fundraising and donations. Grants have come from local employers like Esso and Laporte Chemicals, from Hampshire Police, and from the Dibden allotments charity.

"The Forest Sports Council also chipped in and so did the Fawley Youth Group. It has been a community effort to fund it, and the planning was a community effort too. Local kids told us what they wanted, and helped in the design."

Former Gang Warily amenities manager Julie Doolan was one of the project's initiators.

"This is a dream realised. Kids came to us desperate for a skatepark somewhere central within the parish.

"They chose Gang Warily, which is ideally situated, with floodlights, hard-standing already in place and staff always on hand."

Speaking for the youngsters, Dave Jones, 17, a skateboarder from Blackfield, gave the new park the thumbs-up.

"It's not as big as the one at Totton or New Milton, but the features are good. They asked us about the design before it was built."