Scotland's bumper ski season ends with summer snow

Image caption, About 拢37.5m has been injected into the local economy by the ski season.

Skiing on Scotland's snow slopes looks set to continue into the summer month of June as new figures reveal the best season in 14 years.

Since late November, Scotland's five mountain resorts have attracted 373,782 customers.

The ski season is estimated to have attracted 拢37.5m into the local economy.

With fresh snow on the slopes, CairnGorm Mountain expects skiing during the first weekend of June.

Recent figures from Ski Scotland showed that this season's figures were better than the last bumper season of 2000-2001.

Chair of Ski Scotland Heather Negus said: "All winter, we realised we were heading for a great season.

"We had hoped to match the figure for 2001, but didn't realise we had beaten it until recently, when everything was added up - and of course, CairnGorm Mountain is still operating, so we're still counting."

'Amazing weather'

It is estimated that for every pound spent on the slopes another 拢3 is spent in the local economy with more than 拢28m being spent this winter in local accommodation, caf茅s, bars, restaurants, shops and filling stations.

Ms Negus added: "All the ski areas have been delighted to see other local businesses thriving this winter.

"Everything really came together for us - we had lots and lots of superb snow, which kept on coming, some truly amazing overhead weather giving 'bluebird' conditions, and, because there was also snow elsewhere in the UK, people realised that the Scottish Highlands did have skiing and snow boarding to rival the best and they came here to enjoy it."