BRIGHT spark Andrew Boff has won a prestigious award while on secondment to a Barrowford company.

Andrew, 19, of Bacup, developed programming to reduce wastage during lighting manufacture while he was on a work placement with AC/DC Lighting Systems.

It is the third time a gap student at the company had won the student of the year prize from the Engineering Employers Federation Northwest Region.

Gordon Routledge, managing director of AC/DC Lighting said he was delighted for Andrew who starts at York University in September.

" The award emphasises how important it is for industry to play an active part in the training of electrical engineers for the future," he added.