SKATERS, DJs and street dancers took over Portland for its first skate festival.

Skateboarders descended on Osprey Quay to show off their skills at the event organised by the Island’s Revive Portland group.

Youngsters competed in three categories for prizes including skateboards and T-shirts.

Categories included five to nine-year-olds, 10 to 15-year-olds and 16 years plus.

Each entrant was given two minutes in front of a panel of judges to show off their best moves. Music from the Do Moore Fund, DJs and street dancers kept the crowds entertained and youngsters were able to learn new skills from the skate instructors who were on hand on give tips.

Highline Adventure, with money provided through the Revive Portland group, built a temporary skatepark on the quay.

Senior instructor Arron Fisk said: “The kids are fantastic, they are really talented. They are all gelling together and working well together. They’re a really good bunch of kids.”

He added: “There’s a lot of talent here, we have really been impressed. Portland’s great, I’m definitely coming back.”

The temporary skatepark included mini-ramps, quarter pipes and fun boxes for the competitors to use, and there were taster sessions to get people to try out the sport for the first time.

Revive Portland was started following the Changing Places Olympic Campaign, which aims to make the areas around the 2012 sites cleaner and safer.

Residents were asked what they would like the legacy of the Olympics to be and the response from young people was that they wanted a skate park. Building of the park is already under way and the organisers hope it will be open by early summer.

The whole community has been helping to raise money for the event, with Royal Manor Arts College, on Weston Road, holding an ‘own clothes day’ which raised £600 towards the three-day festival.

Revive Portland Organiser, Yvonne Beven, said: “It’s giving back something to the youth on Portland. They have been so well behaved and a credit to the island.”

She added: “It’s been really good. We’d like to say a big thank you to all the people who have donated money and helped with this project.”

For more information visit www.reviveportland.com