Up to 500 skateboarders will take part each day

Organisers say the skateboarding festival at the Withybush Showground at Haverfordwest at the end of the month will highlight the need for better facilities.

There is a lack of modern skate parks in the Pembrokeshire and no indoor venue.

Amateur skateboarders will be able to rub shoulders with professionals at the two-day event organised by the Haverfordwest Skate Association.

We want to encourage all the skateboarders from across the county to come together Haverfordwest Skate Association

It was established last year after youngsters in the town pressured councillors to call a public meeting to look at creating a new park for them to use.

A spokeswoman for the association said: "We have held a number of small scale events already to start raising funds.

"The whole point of the festival is to give skateboarders a chance to have a good couple of days skating and to get information from them to help us with applications for funding for a skate park."

The group was first formed to get new facilities for Haverfordwest but is now looking at developing a top class venue to serve youngsters from across the county.

It has had small grants from the county council and the Welsh assembly's Communities First initiative but is hoping to put together a case to persuade Sportlot to back the development with lottery funding.

Street courses

Tickets for the festival during half-term on 30 and 31 October are on sale in secondary schools in Pembrokeshire and have been limited to 500 a day.

There will be two street courses and a mini-ramp as well as displays by professional skaters and BMX bikers.

Six bands will play live and there will be competitions, prizes and trade stalls.

Youngsters will also have a chance to choose their preferred design for a possible park in Haverfordwest.

"We want to encourage all the skateboarders from across the county to come together," added the spokeswoman.

Under-11s must be accompanied by a paying adult.