A £75,000 extension to a popular skate park has been announced to give skaters more room to perfect their tricks.

After the old skate park in Town Mead, Waltham Abbey was burnt down in 2008, the County Council funded the construction of a new park on the fields at the end of Orchard Gardens, which opened in 2011.

It currently contains a kinked half bowl with street section including a bank hip, rails, blocks and a quarter pipe with access through a doorway.

Town Clerk Kathryn Richmond said the extension will give skaters more room to perfect their tricks.

She said:“The skatepark has been a massive success, it is always busy and has been very well received by the community.

“The only problem is the lack of space, as serious borders and kids on scooters don’t really mix that well.

“This extension will hopefully give people more room.”

Grants from Epping Forest District Council and Essex County Council will allow work to be carried out by original contractors Gravity skateparks.

Work on the extension will start this month and the skatepark will have an opening ceremony at Waltham Abbey’s Town Show in June.