A Redcar soldier pushed her skiing skills to the limit on the craggy peaks of the French Alps as she fought for fastest time on Exercise Spartan Hike.

Signaller Angela Fewster of 280 Signal Squadron, The Royal Corps of Signals, took part in the annual event held at Serre Chevalier last month. It invites top servicemen and women to pit their skills, strength and determination against each other in the disciplines of Alpine and Nordic skiing and biathlon.

The Alpine event was held on slopes at Villeneuve and Monetier, and attracted more than 200 entrants for team and individual competitions in giant slalom, super G and downhill racing over distances of up to 2km.

Slalom and super G events are held over relatively short distances but call for great skill if skiers are to successfully manoeuvre past gates without losing too much speed. The downhill race calls for maximum speed and is held over longer distances.

Top skiers during the course of the exercise were then selected to compete in the Army skiing championships, which were held straight after Spartan Hike.

Angela, 21, learned to ski around two years ago. She said: "I got into skiing through the Army. There isn't another sport like it.

"I love the speed and adrenaline. This is my first time here and it's going really well. I will keep skiing for as long as I'm in the Army - I couldn't afford to do it otherwise."

Angela came 41st in the individual giant slalom event and 48th in the Super G.

The former pupil at St Anthony's School in Middlesbrough joined the Army in 1998. Her parents Barney and Anne live in Redcar.