'Yobs causing misery'

And safety features promised by the previous Monmouthshire council have not materialised since the facility was completed earlier this year, say residents.

But the council says Chepstow had anti-social behaviour problems long before the skatepark opened.

The construction of Piggy's Hill skatepark in Bulwark last year was blighted by protesters who delayed building contractors by eight weeks. The protesters, who set up 24-hour camp in front of bulldozers on the construction site, claimed the skatepark was in the wrong place and would be unsafe and would attract yobs.

Now they say their worst fears have been realised. Bill Pegg, aged 66, from St George Road said: "We have no complaints about the youngsters who use the park to skate in. But at weekends we are kept awake throughout the night by up to 60 kids between the ages of 12 and 18 from local estates who use this place as a drinking hole.

"They rampage through here until 4am and they leave trails of beer cans and vodka bottles - it's no longer a public park.

"The other night there was someone blowing a hunting horn at 2am and last week I watched as two lads picked up a blind-drunk girl off the floor and carried her past my house. She looked no older than 13."

The war veteran, who says he has taken regular walks in the park for nearly 40 years, said: "Garden ornaments have been smashed and neighbours are woken as these kids make their way home. It's the anti-social behaviour Blair talks about but nothing is being done."

Peter Ellis, head of community learning, said: "We are replacing the fence with a stronger one.

"We are delighted with the way hundreds of youngsters have behaved in the park since it opened. There is an element of anti-social behaviour and we condemn their regrettable actions but they existed in Chepstow before this facility was built."

Sgt Granville Waters, of Chepstow police, said there are regular patrols.