The UK's first Masonry Skills Challenge has taken place at Weymouth College, with teams from nine colleges taking part.

It was won by James Preston from Bath College, with York College taking the team prize.

Organised by Stone Federation Great Britain and sponsored by Construction Skills and DBR Ltd, teams of three candidates each were entered from colleges in Telford, Glasgow, Elgin, Limavady, Moulton, Bath, Weymouth, York and from the Building Crafts College. The competition entry criteria required candidates to be enrolled in a relevant stone masonry course and two of the three candidates had to be currently employed.

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Each individual was given a drawing, a piece of Portland stone (donated by Albion Stone) and some materials for making the necessary moulds and templates. John Bysouth and Andy McClean from Stewart Design and Tony Porter from Albion Stone judged the competition. James Preston won £300, runner up Matthew Leach, from York College, won £200 and third placed Nathan Smith from the host college, Weymouth, received £100.

York's winning team, based on the three candidates' collective marks, were presented with the UK Masonry Skills Challenge Peter Ellis Shield.

(CL/JM)