A TALENTED Bridport apprentice is in the running to win an acclaimed national award for young painters and decorators.

Ben Deer, 22, has moved through to the final of the Crown Trade Apprentice Decorator of the Year competition, and will now compete for the UK title at a major industry event with a £1,000 first prize up for grabs.

Ben clinched victory in his regional heat at Chichester College, and will join 11 other finalists at the Skills Show at the NEC in Birmingham in November.

The Skills Show is an influential training and careers event, featuring more than 50 trades-based competitions and last year attracted more than 74,000 visitors.

Ben said: "The heat was a tough challenge and a lot of hard work, so I was really pleased to come through it.

"I'm delighted to have reached the final and I'm really looking forward to it.

"The Crown Trade Apprentice Decorator of the Year is a great competition and winning the national title would be a fantastic start to my career.

"I know I'll be up against some of the best in the country, but I'll give it my best shot and see what happens."

Those taking part in the regional heats were challenged to create a rugby ball stencil design, in honour of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Kevin O’Donnell, Crown Trade Apprentice Decorator of the Year competition manager, said: "Ben will need all of his powers of concentration for the final.

“For apprentices at the start of their career, the pressure is immense as they’ll be in the spotlight for three days and undertaking an even more complex project which must be completed in 19 hours.

“But he has already shown the potential to perform at the highest level of his trade and it’s a huge chance for him to show his skills to a huge audience.”

The winner of the final will receive £1,000 with £500 awarded to the runner-up and £250 for third place.

Debbie Orr, marketing manager for Crown Trade, said: “As a business, we understand the importance of investing in and developing the next generation of industry professionals.

“The competition touches the lives of hundreds of apprentices at the start of their careers, encourages them to strive for excellence in their craft and reach the highest professional standards.

“This is a great opportunity for competitors to show just how well they’ve mastered the skills and techniques required.

“It’s also a chance for Crown Paints to encourage talent and pride in the trade and inspire more young people to take up vocational training and enter into professional trades.”