WORK will start in the next few weeks on removing the earth bank that surrounds the former skate park in Hillworth Park, Devizes.

Some skateboarders have been using the bank to practise their moves but Devizes Town Council, which owns the land, will remove the earth as skateboarding activity on the site breaks the ruling imposed by a county court judge.

Following the court case at Bath, a judge found in favour of local resident Bill Richardson and ruled that the noise from the skate park was a nuisance.

The judge ordered the town council to remove the skateboard equipment, which it did in February 2002.

Town councillor Ray Parsons was disappointed that the earth bank would be removed.

He said at a recent town council meeting: "I know the youngsters are making the banks higher.

"They are not doing much harm, they are having fun."

But town council commercial manager Simon Fisher said: "We have to remove the earth because we know an activity is taking place on a site where the court ruled it should not take place.

"If we continue to allow skateboarding activities we could end up back at court because there is an injunction on that land to stop skateboarding and BMX riding."

The soil from the former skate park site will be used to repair goal mouths at Green Lane playing fields and to fill in flower beds at Hillworth Park.

The Tarmac area where the skate park equipment was sited can remain as it is.

Mr Fisher said the town council hoped to install basketball or netball nets there in the future.