ANGRY residents in Monkton Park, Chippenham, said they could be forced to take legal action if the skatepark reopened.

They are now asking North Wiltshire District Council to make a commitment to move it.

The skatepark closed two weeks ago following a critical report by the local Government Ombudsman.

Tonight, the district council meets to decide what to do next, and to consider possible alternative sites at The Ham and Lover's Lane.

The Ombudsman recommended that the council pay £1,000 compensation to one resident, £750 to a second and similar amounts to other householders who had complained about the noise.

The Friends of Monkton Park, a residents' association with 110 members, said it would waive the compensation just for a guarantee the park would be moved.

A 40-year-old resident in Sadler's Mead, who does not wish to be named, said: "All the residents have the option of taking legal action.

"That is the last possible action we would want to do to restore our lives to normality.

"But we will do what we have to do if they re-opened the skatepark."

He said the residents were concerned they were seen as middle class nimbys.

"We are normal people who live normal lives," he added.

"We have our houses here and the only noise we had before was the natural noise of people playing and having fun.

"The noise from the skatepark has been like having people throwing bricks into a skip outside your house all day."

A 69-year-old resident, who also lives in Sadler's Mead, said he had a minor stroke in April, which he attributes to the stress brought on by noise from the skate park.

The pensioner spent ten days at Bath RUH and said he has suffered memory loss. "I was in the garden and became so irate with the noise that I had to come inside. Shortly afterwards I had a stroke," he said.

He said he did not want money.

"I just want to be able to sit in my garden in peace and quiet," he said.

dvaller@newswilts.co.uk