The high jump bed was destroyed and the synthetic was badly burned after teenagers set fire to the Dance Track section on Halloween.
While many youngsters enjoyed a night of trick-or-treating on Halloween on October 31, a group of youngsters in Cornwall chose instead to set fire to part of the track in Parr, near St Austell, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.
Britain’s most south-west county has only two all-weather athletics tracks; and both have become endangered in the last 20 yearsalthough the Dance Track has recently flourished under a community ownership scheme and was completely revived in 2017.
The track’s high jump area may now need additional remodeling, however, after it was damaged when the high jump bed and metal deck caught fire, causing the surrounding synthetic surface to burn through the heat.
“This senseless act has left our community devastated,” Par Track Ltd. said. “Par Track is an important local facility that operates with pride, care and commitment, providing a safe, welcoming space for people of all ages to be active, social and healthy.
Despite being in a remote and rural corner of the UK, athletes who have trained on the track in recent years include middle-distance runners Elliot Giles and Adam Fogg, while Olympic distance runner Chris Thompson used it regularly as he has strong links to the area as his wife Gemma Simpson’s family live in nearby Polguth.
Furthermore, Lawrence Okoye, the British record holder in the discus, ended his season in 2024 at the traditional last-ditch “Last Ditch” meeting of the Dance.
Beyond individual athletes, running is home Newquay & Par AC and is used by other clubs such as St Austell Running Club, St Austell Athletes and Newquay Road Runners. Cyclists and footballers are among other sports that use the facility, and there is a busy cafe overlooking the track, which is used by local parents, dog walkers and holidaymakers.
“Unfortunately, the cost of repairing the damage will be tens of thousands of pounds. The incident will also have a major impact on Newquay and Par Athletics Club, who are based at the track and use the high jump facility on a weekly basis. The club plays an important role in supporting athletes of all ages and abilities and it is heartbreaking to see them train and develop.
“At Par Track, we work hard to provide a facility our community can be proud of – a safe and welcoming space for all. It is deeply saddening that a small group of mindless individuals are intent on destroying what so many people work tirelessly to preserve.”
Thanks to CCTV in the area, police believe they know who did the damage and are currently gathering more evidence as the investigation continues.
Meanwhile, Par Track Ltd has launched a funding page to help with efforts to restore the track to its former condition. You can help here: https://gofund.me/2ab350aa2
