A PARKOUR team is campaigning for a dedicated place to practise their spectacular sport.

Michael Correia and PurePrecision said a training ground in Bournemouth will keep young people out of trouble.

The 17-year-old has started a petition on the team’s Facebook page and has been speaking to the council –which is interested in the idea.

Parkour, and the related discipline of free-running, are based on leaps, jumps and tumbles through the urban environment.

Michael, from Boscombe , the head of the team, said: “Mostly when we train on walls and buildings we get kicked out or get told off.

“We’ve been to use the free-running parks in places like Basingstoke, Bristol and Newhaven, and they’re amazing.

“I’ve been speaking to youth workers about having one here, and they are trying to help me out, and the mayor said it’s a really great idea.”

He said the council had considered the idea of a park on the Boscombe Overcliff.

PurePrecision is 20-strong and has done promotional work for the O2 Academy and an MTV video.

“There are so many young kids who see us and want to do it,” said Michael, who has just graduated from studying Public Services at Bournemouth and Poole College .

“The youth clubs say it’s too dangerous. This is what they should be doing. It’s keeping them away from drugs and violence and crime and it gives them a healthy lifestyle.”

Michael Rowland, leisure policy manager, said: “The free-running park sounds like an exciting project and we would welcome more information from the group on their ideas for a park in Boscombe.

“We would be happy to look over any draft plans and proposals on how this type of project could be developed and funded.”