THE Trick Factory may no longer have a home on the St Michael's Trading Estate in Bridport but its supporters refuse to let that be the end of the story.

At a well attended meeting in the town on Saturday those campaigners agreed to form a steering group to explore any and all options.

Long-time supporter lawyer Clive Stafford Smith, the secretary of the group, said there was a good discussion of the long-term possibilities but there was still a desperate need for a temporary home.

He said: "One of the possibilities was to think about enclosing the outdoor skatepark so we have the best of both worlds."

The steering group's first meeting will be on December 14 where it it hoped members can agree on an outline plan to put before Bridport Town Council at the end of January.

Mr Stafford Smith added: "But we need to have a short term solution because whatever we do won't be resolved quickly."

He added: "Maybe we could have an architecture competition with Colfox where they could come up with a brilliant design then we could build it - it is all perfectly possible.

Both Mr Stafford Smith and the group's chairman Arthur Woodgate want to see a solution because of the enormous benefits of a year-round facility.

Mr Stafford Smith said: "I think that the way that the Trick Factory has contributed to the youth burning off their energy and doing it in a safe place where they are being supported and guided by adults is just tremendous and all of this over the last 19 years has been done for nothing by Robert Ridge. How we can not wholeheartedly support that is beyond me."

Mr Woodgate, former senior youth leader and chairman of the Bridport Young Persons Action Trust - responsible for the successful West Bay play area - was instrumental in creating the outdoor skatepark many years ago and has always been a huge supporter of Robert Ridge and the Trick Factory.

He said blending the outdoor and indoor parks was an interesting concept and because of the success of the West Bay play area in catering for those with disabilities he was keen to do the same with the skatepark.

He said: "It will be an interesting challenge - can we create a skate, BMX facility that is open to people with disabilities?

"If it is a possibility we will try and make it a reality."

He said the benefits would go beyond the obvious of giving young people something to do.

"What it can do is a kind of model for consideration of others needs as well as your own particularly if we are going to be inclusive about this."