A LOCAL woodworking wizard has won a trip to Italy.

Adam Garside of Marsden came second in a national woodworking competition in Birmingham.

The 18-year-old Ellis Furniture apprentice took silver in the wood machinery operator competition at Woodmex 2006 in October.

He took seven hours to make a table frame using classical woodworking machines.

Along with the winner, Adam will take a three-day trip to a leading woodwork equipment factory in Rimini in Italy next month .

He said: "I'm excited, I'm really looking forward to going because I've never been abroad before."

The former Colne Valley High pupil will become a fully-qualified wood machinist in August, when he completes his NVQ Level 3.

And Adam hopes to stay on at Ellis. He said: "I'm enjoying my time here so it would be good to be able to work my way up in the company."

His supervisor Keith Mallinson is pictured with Adam.

Adam studies at Leeds College of Building, the only specialist further education construction college in the country. It has more than 4,500 students studying for qualifications ranging from NVQs to degrees.