High-octane flips, jumps and moves were on display as the first purpose-built free running park outside London was shown off ahead of its grand opening.

The £40,000 park in Hillsborough Road, Eyres Monsell, Leicester, features specially designed walls and bars for youngsters wanting to get into the sport.

Free running group Leicester Parkour applied for city council funding and helped design the park, which will open to the public on July 24.

Free running, or parkour, is a form of urban acrobatics involving jumping off buildings and bouncing between benches, phone boxes and street signs.

The group was founded in 2007 with the help of the estate's Magpie Youth Club, which helped the 11 teenagers to apply for a grant.

Luke Hubbard, 19, from Eyres Monsell, said he hoped the area would provide people with a safe place to get into the sport.

He said: "I got into it after seeing one of David Guetta's music videos, where people were jumping off buildings. At the start, we used to just jump off walls and fences, which could be unsafe.

"People used to see us free running and would tell us to go away. They saw it as anti-social behaviour and we also used to get told to stop by police.

"This park will be great for anyone looking to try out free running and we'll be teaching people as well."

Aaron Jackson, 17, also from Eyres Monsell, said: "We hope the park can keep kids off the streets and help improve the perception of free running.

"I've seen people jump on to walls that then fell down. Here, it's been designed just for free running so you know that's not going to happen. It's much safer.

"It's the only one outside London. People from Nottingham and other places have already shown an interest in coming down."

Rachel Fletcher, senior youth support worker at Magpie Youth Club, said: "The new park is everything that the group set out to achieve over the past year.

"They worked hard to consult with residents and have gained tremendous backing in the community for the project."

The free running park will officially open to the public on Saturday, July 24, with an afternoon of activities including demonstrations and advice from Leicester Parkour.

The group will also be coaching people on Monday afternoons throughout August.

See more pictures of the free runners in action