A PENDLE trainee was delighted and surprised when he was awarded two trophies in the recent Pendle Training Awards.

Paul Southworth, 19, a welder and fabricator at Graham Engineering Ltd in Nelson, won the Derek Bennet Memorial Trophy and the John Barrie Stott Memorial Trophy for sheet metal worker of the year and apprentice of the year.

He was one of 22 trainees to be presented with awards at the event held at Northern Technologies in Nelson.

They represented several local companies including Weston Electrical Units, Connections Plus, Graham Engineering, Hollands Pies, Marsden Building Society, Fort Vale Engineering and Hibson Lodge residential home.

Paul, of Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors is about to start his second year of a four year apprenticeship at Graham Engineering, in Edward Street.

He said: "I didn't find out I had won the until the awards night. I got a letter saying I had been nominated for an award and turned up on the night.

"I was very confident and thought I had a chance of getting something because I had been doing my best. I got the sheet metal worker award first and I thought that would be it. I was talking to people and listening to the presentation and they announced my name for apprentice of the year which is the top award.

"My bosses are over the moon and I've just got to keep up the hard work now."