A FASHION design student from Launceston has been shortlisted for a national award.

The Golden Shears award recognises the best new tailors in Britain and second-year BA Fashion Design student Hazel Symons, who is studying at De Montfort University in Leicester, has sent her creations to London for judging.

The results will be revealed next month when Hazel will find out how well she has done against other students, apprentice tailors and fellow De Montfort University students Florence Tudgay and Jack Dorman.

Their work will be displayed at a gala catwalk show in Merchant Taylors' Hall, London on March 16.

It was the first tailoring project for Hazel, who said that competition rules meant she is unable to share the details of what she has entered for judging — she is even unable to say how many garments she has entered, but added that she has made mainly shirts and dresses in the past 'so it was nice to do something a bit more technically challenging'.

Hazel comes from a long line of seamstresses and home sewers on her mother's side while her father's side were knitters.

The 19-year-old former Launceston College and Plymouth College of Art student said: "In the final it is students and apprentices. A lot of them are from Savile Row. It's quite nice to be competing with them. I am pretty sure I am going to be the youngest!"

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.