Petersfield wheelchair skatepark planned

The skate park design for wheelchair users (in light grey in top image) would be added to the existing Petersfield skate park (in dark grey)

A skatepark designed specifically for wheelchair users is being planned by a children's charity.

Festival For Young People will submit plans this month for an extension to an existing skatepark in Petersfield.

The charity aims to raise £138,000 via grants and fundraisers for the extension which will have more gentle gradients for wheelchairs.

Students from Treloar College in Alton visited skate tracks to see what they could cope with in a wheelchair.

'Daredevil activities'

Designer Jeremy Donaldson from contractor Wheelscape created designs using slopes at the same angle as a wheelchair ramp - three degrees - after meeting with students at the college.

Petersfield Town Council has approved the plans and a further planning application to East Hampshire District Council will be submitted this month.

Chief executive of the charity Action For Kids Graham Duncan said: "There is no reason to prevent any young person with a disability from even the most daredevil of activities enjoyed by others.

"We hope that local authorities, charities and providers of sports amenities will follow this example."