'I've never been on a ski lift before', admitted Dame Kelly Holmes. Since retiring as a professsional athlete, Holmes, the first British Olympian to win doubnle gold has had a go at a wide range of sporrts which might have previously interferred with her time on the track.

Holmes, has plans to go skiing later this year and was keen to increase her confidence before hitting th slopes and booked lessons at The Snow Centre, Hemel to help do this.

Holmes proved a natural and progressed rapidly to the top of the 160m main  slope.

Head of Snowsports, Pete Gillespie said, 'Kelly's obvious natural athletic skills combined with her ability to listen and act on instruction made her a delight to teach.'

For more info on The Snow Centre, seee www.thesnowcentre.com. Read more at www.InTheSnow.com.