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Scores of Bristol students take to Stoke Bishop slopes in spontaneous celebration of winter weather

Peak times in Stokey B


Almost a hundred Bristol students headed to the Stoke Bishop hill down to the transport hub this afternoon to make the most of the heavy snow that had fallen there.

Scores of students from Stoke Bishop halls grabbed dinner trays, inflatable mattresses, bin bags, skis, toilet seats, saucepans and even a wet floor sign to ski, roll, slide and toboggan down the steep hill at varying speeds.

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Several cannibalised skateboards by ripping the wheels off; others used crates. A Spiderman scooter appeared from nowhere and was subequently used as an unwieldly sledge to limited effect.

Following the news earlier in the afternoon that the university was to be closed from 2pm onwards, students eagerly made the most of their new found freedom by gathering from around 4 o'clock onwards and whizzing down the slopes.

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One girl lit up a joint; another went too fast and smacked her head into the brutalist brickwork of University Hall- fortunately the building was unharmed. For once the wavey garms so beloved of Bristol students did not appear out of place with fashionable early 90s ski gear perfectly befitting the Alpine-esque feel.

First year Economics student Tilly Storey told The Tab "It was a universally enjoyable activity. Rolling down the hill I knocked into a few people, and I feel like that’s a good metaphor for life."

The snow filled extravaganza came a day before two Facebook events- "Stokey B Winter Olympics" and "Massive Snowball Fight on the Downs" are due to take place.