A talented apprentice bricklayer has seen off competition to come top in a prestigious industry-wide competition.

Dan Goddard was awarded first place in the Guild of Bricklayers contest. To win the prize, the 18-year-old apprentice was required to plan, set-up and build a piece of decorative brickwork.

Dan works as an apprentice at Baker and Watkins bricklayers in March, Cambridgeshire and is currently undertaking the second year of his apprenticeship.

The young bricklayer impressed judges at the Guild of Bricklayers competition with his careful attention to detail and planning when setting up and constructing his piece of decorative brickwork.

Dan, a Cambridge Regional College student, said: “I love bricklaying. I did a construction course at school and I was hooked.

“It is great to be an apprentice - it gets you into work and construction, and is the best way to learn.”

Dan is the second apprentice from Baker and Watkins to win a construction contest; last year apprentice Ben Drage came top in the senior bricklaying competition at SkillBuild, Britain's biggest skills competition.

Dan’s boss, Kevin Watkins, said: “It’s excellent news and I’m really pleased with Dan. It shows we are all doing our bit well to teach him the trade.”

Lecturer Neil Hesketh added: “Over the past two years, Dan has developed into an excellent bricklayer with good knowledge to go with some very good practical skills. He loves what he is doing and his employer has great things to say about him."