A HOMECOMING planned for Winter Olympic medallist Laura Deas has been put on ice after a fire at a Flintshire village pub.

The family of the Wrexham-born bronze medal-winning skeleton athlete were hoping to host a celebration at the Cross Keys pub in Llanfynydd. The 29-year-old grew up in the village and attended the former local primary school.

But the hostelry is shut until further notice after a blaze caused serious damage to the kitchen earlier this month.

After her heroics in Pyeongchang, Laura has returned to her Wiltshire home near her training base in Bath, but her father, Ewan Deas, says she is planning a trip soon to her native North Wales where her achievement is set to be marked by Flintshire Council.

“There have been some complications as the Cross Keys has had a fire and it is closed until further notice,” said her father, a retired GP.

“It is where were hoping to have a party for Laura, but we know the local council is doing something and they are discussing that with her agent.

“We still would like to have a local event for family and friends in the village who have been very supportive, but at the moment we have lost our venue.”

Laura, who also attended the former Howell’s School in Denbigh, became the first Welsh medallist at a Winter Olympics when she secured third spot in the skeleton in a dramatic finish which saw GB team mate Lizzie Yarnold successfully defend her gold medal.

The Welsh winter athlete plans to resume training after her summer wedding with the World Cup circuit, which starts in November, in her sights.

Her profile and that of the sport has risen since her success and she and Arnold posed for this week’s edition of Hello! magazine, while Laura is attending the Cheltenham Festival as part of the social whirl.

Laura’s agent Andy Digweed, from Sports Sphere, said: “We are waiting to hear back from the council about the event. Laura and Lizzie have had some great publicity which is good for the sport.”

A Flintshire Council spokesman said: “We are planning to invite Laura to a council meeting to recognise her achievement, but nothing has been organised as yet.”