BOURNEMOUTH remains an ‘ideal’ town to host an ice rink, according to Olympian Robin Cousins.

The judge from the popular television show Dancing On Ice first took to the ice on the old Westover Road ice rink and would love to see a rink return full-time.

“It would be an ideal place,” he said.

“Especially as Bournemouth seems to be booming.

“You can’t say it’s just a place where people go to retire an more.”

The former Olympic gold medallist figure skater has been visiting the new and bigger Christmas ice rink in the Lower Gardens being operated by his company Cousins Entertainment.

He said a permanent rink would not need to host shows, ice hockey and other events to make sure it had income streams in addition to public skating.

During his visit he posted a picture on Twitter of the site of the rink in Westover Road where he took to the ice during a family holiday, adding the comment “Back where it all started. But it wasn’t like this in 1964!”

Remebering that day, he told the Daily Echo a sign for a show caught his eye when he was passing with his mum.

“It was a show for the Ice Follies.

“I wandered in and there was a public skating session on.

“I got on the ice and I remember having that same feeling that I’ve always had.

“It was my blank canvas.

“An instructor asked my mother where I skated and didn’t believe it was my first time.”

Robin said ‘without that fateful day’ he would not be where he is now and did later return as Olympic champion performing with cellist Julian Lloyd-Webber for a Sport For All event.