SKATERS from around the country rolled into town recently to take part in a national competition organised by Bolton Artistic Roller Skating Club.

The club, run by head coach Nina Asquith, held their second annual open event at Smithills School leisure centre.

More than 200 competitors took part, travelling from as far afield as the Channel Islands, while club member Victoria Colomina-Borrell flew in from Barcelona especially for the event.

Club chairman Stephen Thiele said: "It was a brilliant weekend with some fantastic artistic roller skating.

"The venue was packed to the rafters for both days of the competition.

"Bolton Artistic won an enormous amount of medals, with some brilliant results.

"And there were also many admirable performances that did not gain medals, but the skaters did themselves proud."

The flurry of medals for the host squad included 12 solo golds.

Jessica Heyes enjoyed the most individual wins with three, coming first in the non-medalist dance, free dance and free skating.

Three Bolton skaters won double gold.

Colomina-Borrell was rewarded for her decision to fly home from Spain with victories in the youth free skating and short free bronze events, while Lucinda Galloway won the free skating and the non-medalist freedance, and Gemma Bendle was first in the bronze dance and free skating inter bronze categories.

Catherine Barton won the the adult solo dance while two of the club's most decorated skaters, Hollie Asquith and Emma Thiele, added another gold medal to their collections, with Asquith taking first prize in the free dance inter bronze and Thiele coming out on top in bronze dance.

It was perfect preparation for the girls, who are both flying out to Portugal at the end of this month to compete for Great Britain in the European Cup.

Artistic skating is also a team sport, and Bolton skaters produced a number of fine combined routines.

Shelbie Davenport and Lauren Heyes teamed up to win the non-medalist duo free, while Asquith, Emma Halpin-Folden and Summer Burke won the inter bronze team event and Thiele, Burke, Asquith and Rowan Edlington joined forces to be crowned the top quartet.

Nina Asquith added: "I was delighted with all of our skaters and thought every single one of them skated brilliantly."

Joint-chairman Tammy Galloway paid tribute to the team of helpers and parents who made the event possible.

She said: "I would like to thank everyone who helped run the event. Our parents were amazing and we could not have done it without them. I would also like to thank all the skaters for competing and we look forward to seeing them back again next year."

Other medallists

Silver: Georgia Hargreaves silver dance, Hollie Asquith inter bronze dance, Emma Thiele bronze dance, Gemma Bendle bronze dance, Emma Thiele espoir free skating, Shelbie Davenport free skating non medallist, Georgia Hargreaves silver dance, Emma Thiele inter bronze free, Janina Keidrowski short free bronze, Hollie Asquith and Emma Thiele duo free inter bronze.

Bronze: Theresa Ryle inter silver dance, Rhiannon Harris inter bronze dance, Emma Halpin Folden preliminary dance, Keira Fletcher preliminary dance, Bolton Shines (Valentina Mattana, Shelbie Davenport, Rhiannon Harris) team event elementary dance, Kasza Keidrowski bronze dance, Toby Halpin-Folden free non medalist, Lauren Heyes free skating non medallist, Rowan Edlington free skating inter bronze, Theresa Ryle inter silver dance, Sophia Burns silver dance, Hollie Asquith inter bronze free, Emma Halpin-Folden preliminary free dance, Kasza Keidrowski and Janina Keidrowski inter bronze free.