An electrical student has won a national competition, scooping a £2,000 cash prize.

Frankie McAll, 20, an electrical apprentice at Eastleigh College, part of South Hampshire College Group, was crowned the winner of the Sparks Learner of the Year competition.

The event, which took place in Birmingham, saw eight competitors battle it out in a closely contested final.

The finalists were tasked with completing a professional installation layout from scratch, following the same illustrated instructions.

The competition was held at the JTL Centre in Birmingham, following a series of regional heats staged across the country earlier this year.

Mr McAll was supported by his apprenticeship mentor, Dan Hutton from JTL, and his college tutor Paul Austin, who originally put him forward for the competition.

As the overall winner, Mr McAll received a cash prize of £2,000, alongside a set of six power tools from the latest range, a tool rucksack, electrical connectors, and a series of industry books.

Mr McAll said: "I was genuinely surprised and very happy to win.

"The final was very challenging compared to the regional heat and there was a lot to do in the timeframe.

"It’s given me a lot of confidence going forward and I’d like to thank all my college lecturers – Alan, Mark, Paul and James, as well as my mentor Dan from JTL and my employer Rob at Cardinal Electrical.

"I really felt their support throughout the whole competition."

Paul Austin, electrical curriculum manager at Eastleigh College, said: "I am a very proud tutor and was extremely happy when Frankie’s name was called out.

"This is always a very competitive contest and it’s a huge achievement to even get a national finalist let alone a winner.

"This will open so many career doors for Frankie and hopefully set him up for a long and successful career in the industry.

"It’s also fantastic for our college and our apprentices will hopefully be inspired to see what can be achieved with hard work and dedication."

The annual Sparks Learner of the Year competition celebrates the most exciting new talent in the UK electrical industry, allowing students to put their technical abilities, skills, and knowledge to the test in a competitive environment.