THE daughter of a Burnley College lecturer has skated her way to the title of British Ice Dance Champion 2014.

Emily Rose Brown, who turned 13 at the end of June, was the youngest of the contenders in the advanced novice category, but managed to sweep the board with her exceptionally high scores in a competition where her contenders were all considerably older.

Her dad, Raymond Brown, teaches electrical installations at Burnley College, and together with his wife, Esther Brown, he takes Emily to competitions and training sessions all over the country.

The competition where Emily triumphed was hosted by The National Ice skating Association (NISA) at Ice Sheffield, and hundreds of ice dancers from across the country put themselves, but only the top 20 qualified for the finals.

Emily trains at Blackburn Ice Arena six times per week, under the watchful eyes of her coaches Keith and Kathryn Hudson, and travels from her home in Preston on an almost daily basis.

Her mum Esther Brown said: “It’s hard work. The alarm clock goes off at 4.30am at least four mornings a week, but she’s so keen and she loves what she does so much, and we love watching her skate so much, that she’s a pleasure to be around.

“It’s what she wants to do with her life, and we’re so proud of her.

“We’re just happy that things are happening for her, and that it’s more likely she will achieve her dreams.”

Emily started skating around four years ago, when she took a beginners course.

She progressed through the course incredibly quickly, and never looked back.

The young skater has big dreams, and hopes to one day represent her country at the Olympic Games.

She is looking for an ice dance partner to compete with, but has just started working with a new dance partner, and Esther said she hopes the pair will work well together.

Emily is also looking for a sponsorship deal to help fund her ambitions, as she often has to travel to training sessions and competitions, and recently travelled to Berlin.

Esther said: “She wants to go to European level and World level, but she needs to find the right partner.

“It does take its toll financially, so she is also looking for sponsorship to help her follow her dream.”