A YOUNG sportsman has told councillors to get their skates on and bring an ice rink to the city.

Plucky ice hockey player Sonny Keywood told a packed council meeting that Brighton and Hove was 30 years behind the times in not having a year-round ice rink facility.

The 11-year-old Cardinal Newman pupil brought a petition signed by more than 2,000 people to a full council meeting last night and said the city was way behind northern cities such as Sheffield, Nottingham and Manchester as well as university settlements such as Cambridge - which is set to open a 500-seater capacity venue next year.

He called on the city to use the expertise of ice legends and Sussex residents Jayne Torvill and Robin Cousins to help deliver the plan.

The youngster, who has also raised the issue with the Queen in his year-long campaign, told the meeting he currently had to take a two hour trip to play ice hockey.

He was given some encouragement from councillors of all parties but warned that problems remained in funding the idea.

Council leader Warren Morgan said he had raised Sonny’s campaign with Sports England and urged any commercial developer to come forward with a proposal.

Conservative group leader Geoffrey Theobald said the city “must keep trying” and do “everything possible” while Green councillor Tom Druitt said an ice rink was the one thing the city was missing.

Conservative councillor Denise Cobb said it was “disgraceful” and suggested room should be found for a new ice rink at the King Alfred development.