A YOUNG ice hockey star who first learned how to skate in Bolton returned to show off his skills on Saturday.

Adam Jones, aged 15, learned how to skate on the ice rink which Bolton Council organises as part of its annual Winter Festival programme.

He now plays for Blackburn Junior Hawks under-18s. But Adam had never put on a pair of skates before he took to Bolton’s ice rink in 2012, when he was 10 years old.

On Saturday afternoon, Adam returned to where it all began as he and some of his team mates demonstrated their skills on the rink in Victoria Square.

Adam, of Sefton Road, travels to Silver Blades Ice Arena in Blackburn at least once a week to train, as well as playing in matches all over the country.

His team are currently second in the league and have lost just once this season.

Adam says that he harbours ambitions of playing professionally in Canada one day.

Clearly he has come along way over the past five years, but what was it that started it all in the first place?

“I came down out of curiosity, really,” he said. “I wanted to try skating and once the rink had gone, I wanted to carry on so I started going up to Blackburn, where I discovered ice hockey.

“At first, I was terrible. I was one of the people standing around the edge and holding on to the boards. By the end of the first five sessions I was getting better, but then the rink went away."

What advice can he offer to any youngsters interested in following in his footsteps?

“Just jump on and have fun, that’s what I did,” he said. "As you improve during lessons then you’ll become better and then it becomes more fun.”