PARISH councillors took a close look at skateparks to find a way forward for Crossways to have its own facility for skaters.

They joined around 15 young people on a visit to Bournemouth and Verwood to look at three sites already up and running.

Daniel Smy, chairman of Crossways Parish Council, said he was impressed by what they saw.

Feedback from the visit will be presented at a meeting in early March to look at the next step for providing sports facilities for the village.

Noise Planning permission has been granted for a multi-use games area - MUGA - on the playing field off Dick o' the Banks Road.

But residents living close to that site, including people in Egdon Glen and Briars End, have objected because they fear the effect on their properties from noise and light.

During a consultation exercise in November, villagers favoured another option of having a MUGA with a skatebowl on another part of the field. Two other options were also looked at.

The parish councillors joined around 15 young people, plus parents, PCSOs and youth and community workers to see the skating sites in action.

Coun Smy said: "Only three parish councillors went along, which was disappointing, but we were all impressed with what we saw.

"The factors that pleasantly surprised us were the fact that there was not one piece of litter anywhere and the noise was not a problem at all.

"Everyone was well-behaved and it was orderly, with everyone waiting to take their turn and helping each other.

"Crossways is the largest village in West Dorset and youngsters need facilities like these. Many smaller places have something similar already.

"There has been some concern from people about noise but that was certainly not an issue on these existing sites."

Kris Hallett, a community enabling officer with Dorset Community Action, said: "We saw skaters of all ages. There was a little boy aged three with his parents and a man of 50 with his teenage son.

"This visit dismissed any preconceptions that people might have that skateparks are full of litter and young lads and noise.

"The parish councillors and parents were impressed. It was an eye-opener."