50-year-old Telford ski slope to be refurbished

Cllr Kelly Middleton said the investment would secure the future of the slope

Up to £750k is being spent to refurbish a 50-year-old ski slope.

Telford Snowboard and Ski Centre in Madeley is owned and operated by Telford and Wrekin Council.

The 85m (278.8 ft) artificial slope, which is used by about 500 visitors a week, was built by Telford Development corporation in 1972.

Themed 1970s activities, including a fancy dress competition and reduced prices, will mark the centre's birthday on Thursday.

Ken Taylor skis on Friday evenings with a group of over 50s

"The fantastic thing about our leisure is that they're all council owned, so that enables us to invest and keep them running for residents in the borough," Kelly Middleton, cabinet member for leisure at the council said.

"This a fantastic place, part of my childhood for sure. And I know a lot of people have grown up with this," she added.

Retired architect Ken Taylor first visited in the 1980s to prepare his children for a school trip, then soon joined Shropshire Ski Club.

"We decided that we'd take it seriously, so I used to come over every Sunday evening with the boys and we all got a little bit better," he said.

Matt Critchley first visited the centre as a child before a school ski trip

Now Mr Taylor skis every Friday evening with an over 50s group.

"We're all a bunch of geriatrics and we're like kids on it, it's brilliant," he said.

"It's not just people from Shropshire... they come from Wolverhampton, the edges of Birmingham, down as far from below Great Witley.

"We are so lucky that Telford Development Corporation built this thing."

Visitor Matt Critchley said coming to the slope on a school trip 35 years ago got him "hooked".

"It was the perfect place to come to learn to ski before going on snow," he said.