WINTER sports fans inspired the Olympics are descending on a Dorset ski slope.

The snow covered mountains Sochi may seem like a world away from the countryside of West Dorset but Winter Olympics fever is making its presence felt at the Dorset Snowsports Centre at Warmwell Holiday Park.

Manager Chris Carr said that there had been a noticeable impact on numbers at the venue since the games began and he was expecting even more of a difference next week as schools break for half term.

He said: “We have had more people coming up and talking about it and asking about it.

“I think it’s going to be next week as well as just after the Olympics when we see a real influx.”

With winter sports enthusiasts hoping to emulate the likes of snowboarder Jenny Jones, who became the first Briton in history to claim a medal in a snow sport when she secured bronze in the slopestyle event at Sochi, Mr Carr said more people were coming down to hone their skills at the facility.

He said that since the Olympics started the centre had not really seen an increase in newcomers to winter sports so far but the influx was more from people wanting to try out new things after being inspired by the games.

Mr Carr said: “It’s not really been an increase in first time skiers, it’s more snowboarders and skiers trying the ramps, rails and jumps out.”

He added that Britain’s success at the Winter Olympics proved that people from our country could go on to become top level winter sports athletes after developing their skills on dry slopes, with some of those competing in the games – including James Woods who represented Team GB in the ski slopestyle event – having visited the Warmwell venue in recent years.

With the coverage of the games in this country wider than ever before Mr Carr said that he hoped it inspired youngsters to consider trying winter sports.

The Dorset Snowsports Centre coaches skiers from the age of around six and snowboards from the age of 12.