Several local authorities in France are taking steps to counter bad behaviour on the ski slopes, following a seventeen per cent increase in accidents last year.

Officials say they're increasingly concerned by what they describe as the dangerous and selfish behaviour of some winter sports enthusiasts and are therefore introducing regulations to enforce a code of conduct drawn up by the ski federation.

The officials, however, admit the new rules will be difficult to apply and say what's really needed is a change of attitude on the part of skiers.

Tens of thousands of people are treated in hospital for ski injuries every season and on New Year's Day a new game claimed its first victims: one youth was killed and two badly injured after they tore protective padding from around a pylon, used it as a sledge and ran into some trees.