A STONEMASON from Bampton has been awarded a £14,400 scholarship to help him study his craft at a top art school.

Thomas Nicholls, 29, won the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship to study at the City and Guilds of London Art School.

The former Burford School pupil said: “I started stone carving properly when I was 19 but my dad was an artist and lived in Burford.

“He had lots of stone gargoyles around the house that he’d made himself and I’d help him on them when I was about 12.”

Mr Nicholls’ previous work includes carving a hand for a 19th century sculpture of Prince Edward in Fleet Street, London.

He was also involved with restoring the 16th century Kings Table in Westminster Hall.

He said: “The chance to get this money and go on to take my postgraduate diploma in stone carving is amazing.

“It will be incredible to study more and further the skills. I love my job. But I’ve always wanted to be taken seriously as a sculptor.”

The Queen Elizabeth Trust scholarships are awarded twice a year and eight people received one this year.

The winning piece by Mr Nicholls was a sculpture of cyclists racing round a velodrome.

He will start the course next year.