AN AMERICAN skater has jetted in to Lancashire to gain his "qualifications" for this year's British championships in November.

Andres Lopez, who has been training in Seattle with British skater Kerry Jones, has been sent from the States by former five-times world champion Bernard Jones to take his 'silver' qualifications at Blackburn Arena tomorrow to enable him to skate in the Championships with Kerry.

At the Blackburn rink, he will come under the watchful eye of Blackburn-based coach Sharon Jones, herself a former world professional skating champion.

Also accompanying his partner through the silver test will be plucky 16-year-old Darwen skater Christopher Lomax.

Christopher, who partners Amanda Galloway, 14, from Great Harwood, has his arm in a plaster cast following a recent accident, but hopes to be fully recovered in time for the international seminar on June 30.

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