Girls proving skateboarding 'is a female sport'

Ophelia said she always learned from skateboarding falls

A 13-year-old skater says she is among a growing number of girls proving skateboarding is a female sport.

Ophelia started skateboarding when she was four years old and skates at the Prime Skatepark in Plymouth.

She said: "I started seeing so many more girls skateboarding out and about and it felt amazing to skate with them."

Nick Marker, chief executive of Prime Skatepark, said he had seen "a massive increase in female participation" in the last few years.

Ophelia said: "If you fall off, you can just get back up again and try it again. You can still learn something from it.

"People used to say skateboarding wasn't a girl's sport, but now I feel we're all proving them wrong," she added.

Mr Marker said he wanted to "provide a safe space" for local skaters and to "build a real community spirit, where everyone is made to feel welcome."

He said he was dedicated to safely teaching skateboarding to young adults and started an under 13 family group 12 years ago, which still runs every Saturday morning.

"We teach people how to absolutely minimize the risk and make it a healthy alternative sport", he added.

Mr Marker said skateboarding from a young age "creates friendship, interaction and boosts personal confidence".

He said more than 30 children and their parents regularly attended the sessions.

Parent Patrick Gibbs, who has been skateboarding for 20 years, said he enjoyed skateboarding because it "makes you feel excited, you get a massive adrenaline buzz".

He attended with his daughter and said skateboarding was "fun, it's good exercise and it's hopefully something we can do together".

"It's safe as long as you have the right protection, knee pads, elbow pads, helmet, and don't try to do anything too difficult too quickly, build up to the harder stuff."