Dave Riley does a move known as a pop shove at the loading bay at Timmer Ltd, an area donated by the owner who says a permanent skatepark for youngsters would benefit the island. (Picture by Alasdair Round, 0580663)

SKATERS need somewhere to go, according to a sympathetic islander who decided not to chase them off his property.

George Timmer of Timmer Ltd in Rue de L’Epinel, Forest, said that when skaters began to use the loading bay of his warehouse as a miniature skatepark, he realised they had nowhere else go.

‘The kids don’t really have a recreation area around here and nobody shows them much tolerance so when I see them skateboarding I just ask them to please clear up after themselves,’ he said. Mr Timmer said he would not protest as long as the skaters were safe and did not litter, but he thought a more sensible solution could be found for them.

‘There could be a community building project where the kids are given an area such as a car park to use as long as they manage it and keep it tidy. There are some nice teens around here who could probably do a good job of taking care of the place.’