Two stonemasons who trained at Hereford Cathedral have been recognised for their achievements with top awards.

Their skills have led one of them to work on the Parliament building and the other to a commission at a royal estate.

Alec Curtis and Max Cotterill were mentored by Simon Hudson, of Hudson Stonework Ltd, which is based in Hereford Cathedral Close, during their apprenticeships.

They learnt all aspects of stonemasonry, including intricate tracery and letter cutting.

They worked on projects at the Cathedral, the historic St Bartholomew's Church in Much Marcle and other churches, preaching crosses and tombs in the Herefordshire Diocese.

Their apprenticeships were supported with a grant from The Worshipful Company of Constructors, a modern City of London Livery Company for professionals working in the construction industry.

Doug Barrat, Chairman of the Friends of Hereford Cathedral and past Master of The Worshipful Company of Constructors, nominated both for the awards and for a grant from the livery company.

The pair were recognised for their commitment to their craft at The Master Certificate Awards Ceremony in London.

Alec, who joined Hudson Stonework Ltd in 2012, was presented with the Journeyman Certificate.

During his apprenticeship he carved a new stone cross for Hereford Cathedral's Booth Porch, and since January 2018 has been working on The Palace of Westminster.

Max, an apprentice at Hereford Cathedral since 2017, received the Apprentice Certificate.

He was recently commissioned by the Perpetual Trust to design and carve a roundel for The Prince of Wales as a thank you for hosting a major event for the trust’s international donors. The roundel has now found its place at Highgrove.