THRILLSEEKERS could soon enjoy adrenalin fueled fun on a lake as a firm bids to bring wakeboarding to Basildon.

JVP Leisure has bought the lake behind Festival Leisure Park, off Cranes Farm Road, Basildon, and could now create a wakeboarding facility.

The sport combines water skiing, snow boarding and surfing techniques and would see participants dragged along on their boards by a pulley system.

The Echo has seen plans that show seven towering pylons to be put up around the edge of the lake with cables running between them.

The course would be similar to one built at the Thorpe Park theme park in Chertsey, Surrey.

Sports fan Nader Kayzar-Boulila, 31, who lives in Wickford and works in Basildon, said: “We need stuff like this in Basildon and I would definitely give wakeboarding a go. I think it would help attract more people to the town.”

JVP Leisure has bought the lake from Aquatels, a firm which has run carp fishing there for years.

It is understood fishing would be allowed to continue in the lake, which is currently the official venue for the British Carp Angling Championships.

It also used to be popular with jetskiers, until they were banned because of the noise.

Several local fishermen, who are opposed to the plans, have set up a Facbook page called “Save Aquatels Fishery”.

One of them, Daniel Taylor, 27, ofFelmores, Pitsea, said: “They say we’ll be able to carry on fishing, but you need peace and quiet to do it and the wakeboarders are going to scare away all the fish.

“There’s also the danger of people getting stuck in our fishing line.”

Another fisherman John Ashton, 59, of Landermere, Basildon, added: “They would have to clear a lot of weeds from under the water to make it safe. If wakeboarders got stuck in them they could drown.”

Kevin Blake, Basildon councillor for leisure, was also against the plans.

He said: “If there is a chance the fish might be harmed or disturbed by wakeboarding, I would be less inclined to support the plans.”

A spokesman for Aquatels confirmed the site had been sold, but JVP Leisure did not respond to the Echo’s calls.