AN ELECTRICAL apprentice from Axminster said he had a shock after finishing as a finalist in a national competition.

Scott Lewis, 19, was the second youngest finalist in the NICEIC and ELECSA Electrical Apprentice of the Year competition.

Scott, who works for Leo Davies Electrical of Bridport, was one of eight finalists selected after two preliminary stages. He was one of 380 initial entrants in the competition, who had their skills and knowledge put to the test.

Scott, who attended the Woodroffe School, said: “I was quite surprised to get through the exams.”

The first stage of the competition took place in December and January, where Scott and others were invited to complete an online exam.

In March, the top 20 per cent were invited to a 90-minute practical exam. These exams were due to be marked by NICEIC and ELECSA’s Tony Cable and Darren Staniforth.

Scott said he’d like to stay with Leo Davies Electrical in the short term and maybe look to working with renewable energy in the future.

His mother, Jane Lanfear, said: “He didn’t win but he was one of the youngest ones to get there. We thought that was rather good.”