Ice skating enthusiasts in Norwich have been left without a local ice rink after it was confirmed that the city's Planet Ice rink has closed.

The ice rink, on the old Norwich Sports Village site, next to the Asda supermarket in Drayton High Road, opened in December 2009 but has now been closed.

In a statement released by Planet Ice, owned by Arena Group UK, it was said that the rink was being closed with immediate effect 'with deep regret'.

A company spokesman said: 'We have been having significant issues with the ice pad recently and it was agreed that we would shut for a maintenance period in order to investigate the issues we have had to contend with.

'Unfortunately once we have started investigations there are significant structural issues and in the current economic climate it is not financially viable nor feasible to undertake the work required.

'As a company we will do our utmost to relocate staff to our other ice rinks in order to minimise job losses and will support staff we are unable to relocate to the best of our abilities.'

The city's only permanent ice rink originally opened in October 2006 but was hit by a string of problems and first closed just months later. It reopened and closed several times before eventually shutting in summer 2009.

The current owners then spent �300,000 refurbishing the rink before it re-opened on Christmas Eve 2009.

- Do you run a skating class at Planet Ice? How will the closure effect your group? Contact reporter David Freezer this evening on 01603 772418 or david.freezer@archant.co.uk