Snowboarding is regarded as a sport for men -- but Cindy Meller is changing all that. She spoke to JENNY SCOTT...

IT'S a freezing December day on the snow-covered mountains of Austria, but Darwen snowboarder Cindy Meller already has beads of perspiration on her forehead.

As she sweeps down the slopes, Cindy is focusing all her attention on the jump she is approaching at speeds between 30 and 40mph.

"The main trick is not to land on your bum!" she laughs. "The jumps are difficult -- sometimes they're quite big. You have to move fast to get over them."

Cindy, 30, started snowboarding four years ago and took to the sport immediately.

She said: "It gives you the best adrenaline rush ever. I'd never skied before or anything, but snowboarding seems much more exciting. It's a very laid-back culture."

As a staff sergeant in the 93 Signal Squadron of the Territorial Army, Cindy is well-placed to take advantage of TA activities like snowboarding.

And she has rapidly become the star of the snow, winning the title of best female snowboarder at the Royal Corps of Signals championships in Zell am Zee last year.

She said: "It's quite a male-dominated environment. You don't get many females in snowboarding.

"We had 13 women at the championships last year out of 75 competitors. I finished 22nd overall so I was really pleased. You've just got to have the bottle to go and do it."

Cindy joined the TA at the age of 19 when a fractured wrist prevented her from stepping straight into the regular Army. She enjoyed it so much she has stuck around ever since, combining her TA exploits with her work as support staff at Lancashire Constabulary.

She said: "You can use the skills you pick up in the TA and apply them to your other job. It improves your confidence and makes you feel like you can do anything. I plan to stay there until they kick me out!"

Meanwhile, she's looking forward to returning to the Austrian ski slopes with the TA in December to brush up on her skills once more.

She said: "I enjoy the banter that goes on, especially between the skiers and the snowboarders.

"We have the idea that they're rubbish and we're much better. It's a real them and us thing."

Anyone interested in joining the TA can call (01254) 262444.