Ski slope demand rises during Winter Olympics

An activity centre says it saw a "huge spike in interest" in ski and snowboard lessons during the Winter Olympics.

Mendip Activity Centre in Churchill, North Somerset, was fully booked during the half-term school holiday.

Ski instructor George Combe said: "We were totally sold out with people who wanted to try it for the first time."

Athletes including Olympic gold medallists Matt Weston and Tabby Stoeker from Bath have arrived home from Italy after Team GB's most successful Winter Games ever.

Britain finished 15th in the table with a total of five medals, including three golds.

Combe said the centre saw a 15% increase in bookings for skiing and snowboarding lessons from the start of the Winter Olympics.

He added: "We're on a search for the next gold medal winner."

The Mendip Activity Centre is where Olympic medallist Jenny Jones learnt to snowboard before winning bronze at the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014.

Combe said "You don't have to travel to the snow to try these amazing sports. You can learn the fundamentals of ski and snowboard right here in Somerset."

He also said he hopes the popularity of snow sports can continue.

"Almost every Team GB athlete started on an artificial slope like ours.

"That's the message we're trying to share with everyone, is that you could be next," he said.

Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.