Youngsters transformed a vandalised skateboard ramp in an Uxbridge park into a piece of art over the weekend.

The team of young people, who have been meeting at Fountains Mill Youth Centre over the past five weeks to develop designs, spray painted the ramp in Fassnidge Park as part of its millennium regeneration project.

The grafitti team, which meets every Tuesday evening, was set up in June last year by Bob Singha, manager of the council's Youth Awareness Programme (YAP).

He set it up after being contacted by the managers of Hayes Pool, who asked him what could be done about the problem of sexist and racist grafitti round the basketball court there.

Youngsters from Fountains Mill Youth Centre were invited to transform the boards surrounding the court in November last year and most of the work has now been completed.

And the design, which has a basketball theme, has become one of the biggest legal grafitti projects in London, said Mr Singha.

'It's all about channelling that raw energy and creating something positive, and some of skills shown are just fabulous,' he said.

'It sounds like soundbites, but I started this pilot project to show that it can work.

'There is youth provision in the borough, but it's not always the right provision and young people don't know enough about it.

He added the YAP met regularly to create grafitti designs and that unleashing their creativity opened up communication vital for drug awareness training ,, another key function of the programme.

'It's more than just about putting paint on the walls. Young people want to contribute to the regeneration of facilities and don't want to be regarded as vandals or devils of the community.

'They understand that bowlers want to bowl in peace just as they want to skateboard in peace.'

The project was organised in partnership with the council's Millennium Team and its youth arts service. For further details, contact Millennium Officer Johanna Anthony on 01895 250 561.