A hairdresser from Ross-on-Wye has grabbed gold at the UK’s most prestigious Skills competitions - the WorldSkills UK National Finals.

Charlotte Lloyd learned of her victory during a special live programme presented by Steph McGovern at her Packed Lunch Studios on Friday evening.

Charlotte said: "I couldn’t believe it when my name was read out - winning gold at the National Finals was a real pinch me moment. It hasn’t been easy and I have put in loads of extra hours of training during evenings and weekends, but it all proved worthwhile.

"A huge amount of thanks goes to my training manager for getting behind me in the way they did. Hopefully this win will open many doors in the future."

More than 400 young students and apprentices took part in the finals, in over 60 disciplines held at 21 venues across the UK. The full list of winners is available here.

Steph McGovern said: "That is just brilliant. Everyone should be jumping for joy. What an early Christmas present that is. She must have put in some graft to smash it like that."

Deputy CEO of WorldSkills UK, Ben Blackledge says that success in UK-wide finals is a litmus test for the future of the regional economy.

"Charlotte is a true inspiration. To have excelled after such a difficult year is a testament to her drive and determination.

"Skills are the lifeblood of every economy, creating high quality jobs, rewarding careers, inward investment and growth."

WorldSkills UK specialises in selecting and training young people to represent the UK at international competitions. The unique insights and global best practice it gathers as part of that work are shared with young people and educators across the UK.

Through its pioneering Centre of Excellence, WorldSkills UK now helps raise the bar of skills across the country by training the trainers and imparting invaluable tips and techniques.