IT IS time to get your skates on.

With temperatures continuing to plummet, there is not a better time to take to the ice - inside or outside.

And if you get down to the Lee Valley Ice Rink in Leyton, top-level coaches are on hand to put you through your paces.

Located in Lee Valley Road, the rink is a hot-bed of skating talent and, recently, there was enough of that on show to melt it into a paddling pool.

Two young ice dancers, who might just be the new Torvill and Dean, came along to educate and entertain.

Twenty-year-olds Penny Coomes and Nick Buckland came to Lee Valley to inspire children from Thomas Hood Community Science College.

They dropped in before jetting off to the USA to train for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

There, they will ice dance for Britain.

But first, they put on a spine-tingling display of graceful athleticism for the kids.

Their message was: you can do it too.

“I think everyone should do ice skating,” said Penny, who added that she was in love with the sport.

She has danced with Nick from the age of 15 and said they have developed a special bond. Now they are to do dance on the biggest stage of all, at the Olympics.

“I’m so excited to be going. It’s my dream,” said Penny. “I feel very privileged and lucky to have that dream fulfiled at such a young age.

“Skating helps me so much in my life. The focus and goal-setting of it has helped me in my studies.”

Penny and Nick are students who study in Nottingham. They spurn the llifestyle associated with university.

Bedtime is 7pm so they can finish their training before morning lectures begin.

Penny says she does it so she can one day be as famous in ice skating as Olympic gold medallists Torvill and Dean.

The dedication has reaped rewards this year.

The pair competed in five international competitions and came second in a national competition.

Their journey started at a local rink, like Lee Valley, and who knows what other future Olympians could start from there.

The young pupils who saw their display from rink-side were more used to seeing such feats on popular TV shows.

Ten-year-old Leo Forchin said: “It’s harder than it looks on TV. Ice skating is all about balance and technique. I would do it more, so I can practice my balance.”

Lee Valley Ice Rink has 11 professional coaches who teach different sports for all ages and abilities.

One of them is Doreen Hopee, who used to skate for Great Britain too, in the same team as Torvill and Dean.

And one Thomas Hood pupil even caught her eye on the ice.

“One girl had something about her. You can spot it with a trained eye.

“Flexibility and balance are important, and so is not being scared of it and just going for it.”

Ten-year-old Marisa Mendes was impressed too.

“It’s amazing what they do. I like the spins. Nick and Penny are kind, and it takes a lot of talent to do it. I would like to do more of this.”

* Penny Coomes and Nick Buckland support Sky Sports Living for Sport which is a free initiative for all secondary schools in the UK that uses sport to inspire young people. For more information visit www.skysports.com/livingforsport