A VALE jeweller travelled to London last night in the hope of winning a prize for his work, at the prestigious UK Retail Jeweller Awards.

Andrew Scott, who set up business in Broadway fifteen years ago with the help of a loan from the Princes Trust, was a finalist in two categories at the awards.

He has been short-listed for the Independent Retailer of the Year and store design of the year awards. The awards, which are now in their 12 year, and now firmly established as the premier event in the jewellery industry, took place in London's Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane.

The shop is called Andrew Scott Designer Jewellery, which is a partnership between Andrew and Vicky Gaskell. It has grown considerably in the fifteen years since it opened, with stores now in Leamington Spa, Cheltenham and Bournemouth.

The company was successful in 2000, when it won two prizes at the same awards and five years on, it is looking to go all the way again.

Designer and goldsmith Andrew said: "These awards are very hotly contested and the judges have pointed out to me that all of this year's entries are of an extremely high standard. That is going to make their job of picking a winner especially difficult.

"I think it is a great achievement by ourselves just to have reached the stage of finalist in two categories at the awards, but if we could win either of them, or maybe both, it would be fantastic."