The second Dulux Academy Design and Decorate Challenge has taken place at the company’s training centre in Petersfield Road, Slough.

The winner was Stuart Yates from Stuart Yates Decor of Chesterfield - one of five finalists who had to design their own wallpaper, before showing their wallpapering skills in a gruelling, day-long, three-wall hanging challenge designed to test their cutting and matching skills.

Mr Yates will now see his wallpaper design made into bespoke rolls of wallpaper by Graham and Brown, whose Blackburn factory he will be able to tour as part of his prize.

He successfully beat off exceptional competition from experienced decorators across the UK. The stellar judging panel included chief executive officer at the Painting and Decorating Association Neil Ogilvie, creative director of Dulux Marianne Shillingford and skills development consultant at Dulux Academy Mark Rigby.

Mr Rigby said: “The voting could not have been tighter. Scoring was out of a potential 300 points and the difference between second and first place was a mere three points.

"The voting included the public vote which accounted for 25 per cent and we placed huge emphasis on ensuring all the judges worked independently to each other, for a completely impartial result. Stuart stole the crown because, across our diverse judging criteria, he exhibited the best skills across the board.”