SKATEBOARDERS are risking injury and arrest by breaking into an unfinished skate park.

The break-ins are also putting the ramps and other equipment being installed at Hendra playing fields in Truro at risk.

As previously reported, the £450,000 project is due to be opened in April after several years' planning and recent construction delays caused by the original contractor going bust.

But eager teenagers have been breaking into the site to try it out early – at risk of being impaled by metal rods.

Police Community Support Officer Emil Gabriele said: "The builders are extremely worried because as it's not finished there are poles and bits of ironwork sticking out of the ground and at some stage someone's going to get seriously injured.

"They're also still laying fresh concrete and the kids could damage it and delay the opening and spoil it for everyone else.

"It is also trespassing and against the law. We want to appeal to kids to wait until it's finished."

Officers are undertaking extra patrols to keep an eye on the site.

Truro City Council clerk said delays to the installation of CCTV due to complications between contractors have contributed to the problem.