Now the council is ready to roll just as, it seems, the town's youngsters are hanging up their roller blades.

Simon Carty was looking forward to the new skate park in Shaw Heath, but now prefers a more leisurely pace.

"He's not on his roller blades as much as he was," said Simon's dad John.

"I think he prefers to walk round the streets and go to his friends to watch a video."

The roller blade craze took to the streets of Knutsford last year.

Children complained about being moved on from different parts of the town and could find nowhere to perform their stunts.

Macclesfield Borough Council agreed to pay half the money for the project and sent the children to visit other parks to make sure they chose the right equipment.

They chose two quarter pipes and a runway and the foundations to the park have now been laid.

But fewer children seem to be skating around town.

"I think as the children grow up the trends go out of fashion," said John.

Ken Andrew, who runs Hal Whittaker's toy shop in Princess Street, agreed.

He said sales of roller blades had steadied and this summer's top toys were Star Wars figures and water pistols.

"I would say they are down to the same levels as skate boards after they were the craze," he said.

A spokeman for Macclesfield Borough Council said the skate park should be completed in August.

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