Rollerworld: Colchester skating rink pulled up piece by piece

Volunteers started helping dismantle the site at Moorside, Colchester, on 28 December

A team of volunteers have spent three days dismantling a rollerskating rink that closed following a rent dispute.

Co-owner Anne Khan said up to 20 volunteers were on site each day helping pull up the floor.

Doors shut at Rollerworld for the final time in November after 32 years of hosting skaters in Colchester.

The owners said the landlord wanted to more than double annual rent to £250,000. Petchey Holdings has said it offered terms "below the market rate".

An estimated 900 people were at Rollerworld for its final night of operating

"They are lifting Europe's finest rollerskating floor and it's devastating, absolutely devastating," said Ms Khan, who added that they were so far struggling to find a new building that was the appropriate size for the business.

"We'll be left with nothing other than Rollerworld in a box."

Rollerworld employed about 40 staff and owners said it welcomed about 3,000 customers during its last weekend.

Rollerworld's owners have said they're looking at sites in Colchester and across the UK for reopening

There were eleventh-hour discussions with the landlord, Petchey Holdings, which included negotiations over what would happen with its car parking space, but ultimately a new deal could not be reached.

A Petchey Holdings spokesman has previously said there were "numerous" meetings with co-owner Jason Khan and his advisers and that it offered him terms "below the market rate".