Market wants help to move 'iconic' helter skelter

A market forced to leave its site after 40 years has appealed for help to move its "iconic" helter skelter.

Skirlington Market, in Skipsea, East Yorkshire, is moving to a location on the road to Bridlington after approval was granted in July for Unity Holidays to build sports facilities on the existing site.

The market's final event is on 25 October before it reopens at its new home in April next year, but its boss wants to ensure the spiral slide goes with them.

Director Tom Parry said it's "the most iconic part of Skirlington, and how everybody identifies with Skirlington is probably the helter skelter".

"Moving to the new site a quarter of a mile up the road, we would love to take it with us," he added.

Parry said a foundation cannot be built on the field at their new location, so the slide would have to go on a trailer which it would stay on.

"It's got to stay on wheels," he explained.

He has appealed for somebody to supply or make a trailer that would fit the helter skelter.

It would then be fixed on to the trailer, towed to the new location, and the ride and trailer would be brought out and put on the field for the season.

Parry said the slide was "too iconic" to be left behind.

"It's like a lighthouse on a seafront... you wouldn't want to see it go."

He added that it felt "strange" knowing the market would be leaving its current home.

"You think, I'm not going to drive back down this driveway and never come onto this site again."

The helter skelter would need loading on to a trailer to be transported into storage before 31 October.

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