A STOURPORT-based hairdresser who won a trainee award last year has praised her quick-learning apprentice for bagging the same stylists' gong this year.

Sam Davies, 21, won Advanced Apprenticeship in Hairdressing of the Year and Advanced Apprentice of the Year at Worcester College of Technology, in 2006.

Now the junior she has been teaching, Laura Hawthorne, 20, has bagged Apprentice of the Year in Hairdressing at the same college. Both work at Stourport's Cameo salon in Lombard Street.

Mrs Davies said: "I have helped train and teach Laura and shown her the basics of hairdressing. She was a really good learner and has done well.

"Our salon has won awards two years in a row, which is good for our reputation. It's also made me feel good that I have passed on what I learned."

Miss Hawthorne reached the final level of her hairdressing course a year ahead of schedule and is working beside her mother, who is proprietor of the salon.

She said: "In the build-up to the announcement people here were really nice. They said things like You will be a star in our eyes, whatever happens.' "I'm looking forward to next year when, hopefully, I will get the advanced award as well."

Her mother, Kim Hawthorne, 44, said: "I am very proud of the short time it has taken her to reach the advanced level of her course.

"She has followed in Sam's footsteps and come on leaps and bounds.

"I think the element of friendly competition helped along the way."