IT'S like daughter like mother for ice dancer Lydia Visinoni, who wants to follow her mum Lucy to the very top of the sport.

Lydia, 11, a talented Year 6 pupil at Loreto Preparatory School, has held Altrincham's Ice Rink's Most Promising Young Skater award fro the past two years and now has just added the prestigious Deeside Open Ice Dancing event at under 12 level to her growing array of titles.

However, mum Lucy, who as Lucy Thompson won the British Championships in 1987, has warned: “I don't think she quite knows what she is letting herself in for, bless her, because it's hard going and takes immense determination and dedication.” t

The proud mum added: “That said she's certainly got the talent, so why not.”

Lydia trains four times a week and, as her mum says, "has been skating nearly as long as she has been walking."

Lydia said: “I love the sport and the secret to success is believing you can do it. That's what mum always tells me.”

Lydia says her favourite skaters are Jayne Torvill and Katarina Witt.

Her mum added: “The fact that her heroes were skating in my time suggests the sport has taken a bit of a down turn but with the increased television coverage, we are all hoping there will be a renaissance.”

Next for Lydia is another major open event in Coventry on June 27 with her longer term objective to compete in the British Championships for the first time next year.

Loreto Preparatory School headmistress, Helen Norwood, said: “Lydia appears effortless on the ice but the amount of practice she puts in proves that her easy elegance is only achieved thorough sheer hard work, and. thanks to mum, no little natural talent.”