Managers of the firm behind a new synthetic ice rink are hoping to keep Sussex skating fans happy until the real thing arrives.

A ten metre by 18 metre rink is being laid at Brighton Marina by Ice Zone Leisure, which promises the surface will be of the latest synthetic material.

It is due to open officially on January 17.

Company director Steve Wright said the firm was a sister business to Jump Zone, which runs the bungee bouncing stalls near the Palace Pier.

He said: "We have just had a rink near the London Eye, at County Hall above the aquarium. This is a new area for our company but it has been highly successful in London.

"The rink is laid down as panels which form a very durable surface. With real ice you get pits and scars but this is a nice even surface.

"In the past, synthetic rinks had a bad name because the surfaces were rubbish but this gives a very good skating experience."

Mr Wright said the rink would be in place initially for four months and, after the summer break, return from September through to Easter, 2005.

Brighton has become a battleground for people demanding a new skating rink in Sussex.

A small facility in Queen Square closed last May but there are ambitious plans for two Olympic-sized rinks to be built at Black Rock.

Meanwhile, skaters have enjoyed sessions on the ice at the Brighton Centre before the annual Holiday On Ice festival.

Patricia Ginman, of the Keep Sussex Skating campaign, was thrilled the marina plan would ensure skating continuity.

She said: "This is wonderful news. We have just finished the Get Your Skates On event at the Brighton Centre, which was filled out as usual. This will be brilliant for children and I'm sure lots of people will be going along.

"The little rink in Brighton closed in May and we are very, very concerned about that. That was the only piece of ice in Sussex.

"But we managed to get more than 7,000 signatures for the new arena at Black Rock and this year we should get the decision on it."