Olympic ice skating champion Robin Cousins has made his debut as a children's author.

The gold medallist has drawn on his experiences on ice and decades of coaching young skaters to write his first book.

Adventures In Frostavia is a fairy tale set in a mythical winterland.

Robin, who lives in Brighton, started work on it two years ago as an idea for an ice show but it was never finished.

He said: "Then one day I had a conversation with actress Judy Cornwell.

"I told her the initial outline and she said I had to finish it and get it off to the publishers."

He said: "I didn't set out to write a book at all so it is not preachy or educational - it's just a story. And it's not a girly book either, it's for all children.

"I think I'm a storyteller by nature. Whenever I have taught children, I have always invented stories to help them remember things."

The names of the three main characters - Flypp, Chaiya and Staria - are inspired by the international ice skaters Robin works with as consultant creative director for Holiday On Ice.

He said: "We have 19 nationalities in Holiday On Ice and there are some beautiful names, especially among the Finns, Danes and Swedes.

"The character names are based on sounds from a winterland."

Robin enlisted the help of ice dancing friends Linda and Pavel Aubrecht, who are also illustrators.

"They brought Robin's characters to life with imaginative and colourful pictures.

He hopes the book will be well received but says he will not lose any sleep if it flops.

He said: "It's like being asked to audition for a West End show - you can either panic and say no or do it knowing the worst they can say is no thanks'.

"I'm not bothered about success - I would rather just have a go and see what happens."

Even so, Robin hopes his story might one day be turned into an animation.

He will be signing copies at Borders bookshop in Churchill Square, Brighton, on Saturday, November 13.

Adventures In Frostavia is published by the Book Guild, price £9.99.