Martin Smith is the joint-winner of the 2007 Duke of Gloucester Award, one of the annual “Oscars” for stonemasons, administered by the Worshipful Company of Masons.

The winners were announced at an awards lunch at London’s Mansion House.

Having joined Wells Cathedral Stonemasons as an apprentice at the age of 16, Martin, aged 23, helped the company win last year’s Natural Stone Craft Award for their restoration of an important bridge in London’s Regents Park and intricate stone tracery for St Saviours Church in Dulwich.

He is currently working on the restoration contract for Salisbury Cathedral.

The Duke of Gloucester Award is presented to the stonemason having made the greatest improvement in their craftsmanship within five years of qualifying.

The judges said of Martin:

'Martin has shown outstanding improvement since qualifying with an excellent ability to work in different materials ... one piece of work we saw showed skill and competence that belied the fact he has only five years experience since qualifying.'