Hillend Ski Slope has been rebranded as the Midlothian Snowsports Centre to recognise the growing popularity of snowboarding.

Around 25 per cent of all the facility’s users now take part in snowboarding and the new name is designed to reflect the change.

Midlothian Council recreation leader Bob Jenkins said: "Snowboarding emerged during the early 1990s and the centre embraced this change, adapting facilities specifically for snowboarding in 1999.

"With a quarter of all users at the facility being snowboarders, the management team at the centre felt it was time to embrace this change within the sport, incorporating snowsports into branding, as many similar facilities and organisations have done in recent years."

He added: "This is a positive move and reflects changing demands within the industry. It will ensure the centre remains customer focused and continues to meet the specialist needs of users in the future."

The rebranding coincided with the centre’s annual Whiteout Weekend, which offered winter sports activities for novice and experienced skiers.

Visitors gathered at the weekend for the event which featured a skate ramp and mountainboard races.