Date published: 07/06/2008

A business man from Shawforth is aiming to prove he is the best in his field by winning Painter of the Year at the Thatcham Craft Awards.
Fran Barker, 28, the owner of SprayWorks autobody repair centre in Peel Mill, Shawforth, has reached the semi final, which will take place in Berkshire on the 18 June.

He will be competing with just five other semi-finalists for the coveted award. Mr Barker said:  "It's described as the Oscars of the paint-spraying industry, and the final will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Birmingham. It's a really good achievement to get this far, and it proves that I am committed to quality. I just hope that I can get through to that final!"

He opened the repair centre last April and since then it has gone from strength to strength, attracting business from private individuals and companies.

He added: " It's great to be based in Shawforth, because it's an ideal location. I'm doing really well here, and the business is building up. It's hard work but I enjoy it, and can't ever imagine doing anything else. We do everything from repairing scratches to major restoration work."