More than 15,000 people have signed a petition organised by the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), calling for an end to heli-skiing in Switzerland.

The group report that more than 15,000 heliski flights a year take place taking skiers to remote sports, leaving few remote mountain areas in the country unspoilt by noise.

They want Switzerland to join France in banning heliskiing altogether, as iut did more than 25 years ago, or at the minimum reduce its authorised heliski landing sites from the current 42 to nearer the Austrian total of two.

Those in favour of heliskiing say it is good for the local economy, doesn’t do much damage to the environment, and that stopping it would not reduce helicopter traffic much as there will be still flights for mountain rescue and to supply mountain huts.

The Swiss aviation authority is reported be studying the country’s helicopter landing sites at present and may ultimately make changes to the current list.