An independent skateboarding shop has opened for business in Portishead, with hopes of growing the town’s community of boarders.

Sk8 Or Die, in West Hill, welcomed its first customers at the weekend.

It has a wide range of skateboards and scooters in stock and boasts wisdom and expertise to pass on to young fledgling tricksters.

The name of the shop is inspired by a 1980s computer game, and is the brainchild of Matt Stains and Stuart Walsh – who believe there is an untapped passion for skateboards and scooters in Portishead.

Mr Walsh told the Times: “The town has a lot of enthusiastic scooter riders and skaters.

“There is a demand for this in Portishead, but kids who ride them would generally have to go to Bristol to go to a shop like this.

“We have an area in the shop where people can chat and play computer games and socialise.”