Dumfries synchronised skating stars

Fresh off the back of their most successful British championships ever, the synchronised skating teams from Dumfries are preparing for their next big competition.

The Solway Stars and Solway Eclipse teams won gold in the British Championships for the first time in 21 years, with the junior team, Solway Lightening, picking up a silver.

Increased TV coverage of the sport has helped more people to take up ice-skating, and Dumfries and Galloway Council's ice-skating head coach says popularity is at an all time high.

The girls train six days a week and spend hours on the ice perfecting their routines and improving their skills.

Working as a team they can provide a more solid performance and can carry out complex moves at high speeds.

Everyone in the team has to have a lot of trust, and the close-knit family feel is what many of the skaters love:

Emily Spence is 14-years-old and has been a member at the Dumfries club for seven years, and she would like to see the sport included in the winter Olympics:

All three teams are currently training hard for the Trophy D'Ecosse, which comes to Dumfries in the middle of March.

It is an international competition which attracts around 50 teams from across the UK, and there are high hopes for the girls:

With help from the likes of ITV's Dancing on Ice, more older people are starting to enjoy ice-skating too.

The Trophy D'Ecosse will be held in Dumfries ice-bowl from 14th-16th March.