An apprentice joiner from Exmouth has been judged one of the best in the region.

Regan Meadowcroft, 22, is training at Exeter College's construction department and working at Woodleys Joinery in Newton Poppleford.

He and fellow trainee Louis Adey had an example of their work entered into the annual Carpenters' Craft competition, run by the Institute of Carpenters, last year.

Louis was judged best in the south west in the under 20s category, and third best in the country, while Regan came second in the south west in the over 20s category.

Both have been described as 'stars' by their boss, Brian Woodley, who said joinery is a skill involving great care and precision.

"It's quite intensive, in the sense that you can start a job on Monday, and put one pencil line wrong on Friday, and waste a week's work," he said.

"They do probably 100 measurements a day, and if just one of those measurements is wrong, it's a problem."

Mr Woodley is glad that both his 'star' joiners plan to remain with his company.

"We're pleased with the way it's turned out," he said.

"We take on an apprentice almost every year, one or two of them stay but the the majority move on."