FIVE skaters are left to battle it out for the winners’ prize in Planet Ice’s new skating initiative Skating Stars.

The five hopefuls who have made it through from the original 15 after 12 weeks of training are Holly Mcdonagh, Jacob Ray, Milly Alexander-Stiff, Pip Lovelock and Archie Price.

The quintet all started out as beginner skaters in April after being picked from open auditions inspired by Torvill and Dean’s television show Ice Rink on the Estate, which took complete beginners and taught them to skate.

The programme has now been going for 12 weeks. Stage one ended in late June, with the class cut to 10, and after stage two another five, Louie Gammon, Abigail Noakes, Madison Noakes, Scarlett Mcdonagh and Scott Benwell, were eliminated. However, all five have been given a free Skate Excellence Learn to Skate Course worth £60.

Head coach Michael Jaye explained that his decision was based on progression and the will to succeed in the competition.

General manager of the Basingstoke Arena, Anita Curtis said: “We are all so proud of our skating stars. They have all come along so much.

“It has been a difficult choice to decide who was going to make it into the final five, but I know we have made the right decision.

“With only six weeks left, we are all excited to see what happens next and how they perform in our gala.”

The final five are now in the final stage of the Skating Stars process, which will consist of a further six weeks of 30-minute lessons with extra time devoted to working on a group routine which will be displayed at a gala to be held at the rink in September.

At the gala, each Skating Star finalist will be judged by a panel and the winner announced.