THREE top BMX riders have said council plans to replace a unique skate park with an Olympic standard park are flawed.

Three times British champion Mark Langstone has used the park next to Harrow Leisure Centre for more than 20 years.

The skate park is currently earmarked for the site of a new leisure centre, but Mark does not think the £300,000 pledged by Harrow Council will be enough.

The 35-year-old airline pilot, who still rides at the 1970s concrete track, told the Harrow Times: "The park cost £300,000 to build back in 1978, so to build an Olympic standard skate park today would cost millions.

"This park is good because it has elements that are challenging for top riders while still being accessible for first timers to come and have a go on.

"I worry if they build something else it will be too difficult for beginners and we will lose a lot of people."

Daniel Barnes, a 28-year-old former world champion, said: "I've been to a skate park in south London a council spent £500,000 on, and there are not many jumps there and it's virtually unusable because it is too polished.

"If the council are only going to put £300,000 into this park, they need to be able to find a lot of funding from another body to get a park as good as we have now.

"People come from a long was away to use this park it is that good."

Professional rider James Hitchcox, who has competed in the X-Games, now runs Zeal BMX distributors and is the deputy chair of the Harrow Skate Park Users' Association.

He said: "I started riding down here as a youngster and now it has become my occupation.

"Having this park here gives youngsters something to do, it is free to use and accessible to everyone.

"At the moment the council have not even come up with a location for the new park, and are asking us if we mind if it opens a few months after this one closes which is not good enough."

The council released a leaflet this weekend, with revisions to their leisure centre plans.

The leaflet confirms "the current skate park is the location for the new building", and promises a new park will open this year.

The council has also promised skaters will select the final designs and builders for a new skate park working with council officers.