Barnstaple Skateboard Park Competition

Sidewalk surfing - Skatepark holds a tournament

A skateboard park in Barnstaple holds a tournament where the new fad for sidewalk surfing has prompted the local council to build a skateboard park. Young hopefuls show off their skills and tricks.

The earliest skateboards from the 1940s were simple wooden boxes with roller-skate wheels attached and came about because surfers grew restless when there were no waves. Skateboarding also became known as sidewalk surfing until custom-built skateparks helped launch it as a competitive sport.