OVER recent weeks and months, Chelmsford Borough Council s Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre has played a key role in helping a well known soap star prepare for their latest television appearance. The hit ITV series Dancing on Ice returns to our screens

OVER recent weeks and months, Chelmsford Borough Council's Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre has played a key role in helping a well known soap star prepare for their latest television appearance.

The hit ITV series 'Dancing on Ice' returns to our screens on Friday (January 8) and Eastenders star Danniella Westbrook will be putting her ice skating skills to the test against fellow celebrity competitors including Bobby Davro and Heather Mills in a bid to become the champion of the fifth series.

In the build up to taking part, Danniella has spent many hours training at Chelmsford's ice rink facilities under the watchful eye of ice professional John Wicker. John, along with his colleague, Jane Faux, has also taught Danniella's young children, Kai and Jody B, the basics of ice skating.

Chelmsford Borough Council's cabinet member for leisure and culture, Cllr Ray Ride, said: "We are pleased to see that Danniella has chosen to train at Chelmsford's Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre in her preparation for Dancing on Ice and we wish her every success in the competition.

"The programme does tend to act as a magnet for attracting people into trying ice skating which is always good in helping to get people more active."

If the latest series of Dancing On Ice has inspired you to develop your ice skating skills, then take the opportunity to enrol on one of the courses available at Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre. For more information, call 01245 615056.

If you fancy trying an ice skating 'taster' session, Riverside Centre offers a range of public sessions during school term times as well as holidays. Evening Disco Sessions take place on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays providing an opportunity for everybody young at heart to whiz around the ice to the latest sounds in dance and chart music.

Relaxed family sessions also take place on Monday and Tuesday nights. For more information, visit the council's website at www.chelmsford.gov.uk/riverside or call 01245 615050.