SKATING experts say a new ice rink in Southampton could help find future Olympic heroes like Torvill and Dean.

As scores of campaigners are today due to march through the city on the 20th anniversary of the closure of the Top Rank rink, former British champion Alan Abretti has given his backing for a new ice skating rink in the south.

Alan, 44, is ice operations director for Cousins Entertainment, and together with 1980 Olympic gold medallist Robin Cousins sets up temporary ice rinks across the world, including Christmas rinks seen in Winchester and Southampton in recent years.

"In Southampton, we're expecting some 50,000 people will come to try out the temporary ice rink this Christmas," he said.

"That's more than some permanent rinks get in a year, and if that's not proof that the city could thrive with a permanent ice rink then I don't know what is," he said.

The former silver medallist in the World Ice Skating Championships said more needs to be done to support new ice rinks and secure future heroes to follow the likes of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, who won gold for Britain in the 1984 Winter Olympics.

"It's a bit like a chicken and egg situation. You need the sporting heroes like Torvill and Dean to make the sport popular like it did in the 1980s, but you also need the facilities to get skaters to that standard," he said.

"That's why Great Britain have done so well in cycling at this year's Olympics - because they had all that lottery funding.

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"Ice skating is a sport that needs the same.

"At the moment it's television shows like Dancing On Ice that have seen a resurgence in the sport and people are more likely to name the TV stars rather than know who is Britain's number one skater."

Scores of ice skating fans were today due to march from the site of the old Top Rank rink in Banister Park through the city and to the Civic Centre in their battle for a new rink.

Petition Members of Southampton Ice Dance and Figure Skating Club and the Southampton Vikings ice hockey team have collected thousands of signatures in support and more than 1,000 readers have signed the petition in the Daily Echo's Get Your Skates On campaign, which was due to be handed to the city council at 1.30pm.

Tomorrow ice hockey fans can see Southampton Vikings play an anniversary match against military team the Marchwood Chiefs at Basingstoke's Planet Ice arena starting at 6pm.