MALMESBURY'S skateboarders are getting their heads together to design their new skate park after securing the last big chunk of funding.

Following a decade of waiting and hoping they were relieved to be told that more than £16,000 promised by North Wiltshire District Council's Malmesbury area committee was safe.

The only hurdle they still had to face was a noise survey.

A delighted Sue Alexander, chairman of the skaters and riders group said: "It does look like a real goer this time," she said. "The next thing to do is to get together with the youth and decide exactly what they want."

She said match funding for the project, costing around £35,000, had been pledged by developers and other organisations, including the carnival committee had also come up with cash.

The park is to be built alongside the new youth centre at Cotswold House.

"The problem has always been getting a suitable site. There are lots of people who want the youth to have these facilities."

The Malmesbury area committee had set aside grants totalling £16,000 for the scheme until permission and an acceptable noise report was won.

But because of the drawn out negotiations over the redevelopment of the Cartmell Centre, where the youth services are currently based and Malmesbury Primary School, progress on the project was halted.

And just last month the skaters and riders were warned that they could lose the money when the new financial year arrived.

But last on March 21 at its last meeting before the end of the current financial year, the area committee voted to give principal community partnership officer Miranda Gilmour the authority to award the money.

She said: "It has been a long and tortuous business."

Wiltshire County Council has said it will maintain the park and a fence will be built to provide a sound barrier as well as protect the youngsters from the river.

Safeguards will also be brought in to prevent the ramps from being used at unsociable hours.