Pictured above: (l-r) Mark Yates and Adam Heath at Holdcroft Honda, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent

Holdcroft Honda colleagues Mark Yates and Adam Heath hit top gear to triumph in a competition to find the Midlands best apprentices.

Mark, 24, of Werrington, motored past the opposition to win the regional heat of the Skill Auto competition for trainee Automotive Technicians.

Adam, 23, of Longton, was not far behind in third place.

The duo are now waiting to see whether they have scored well enough to reach the national finals of the competition which attracted around 700 entrants.

Mark and Adam work at Holdcroft Honda's Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent, service and sales centre.

Stephen Mitchell of Holdcroft Honda said: "The Skill Auto competition attracts the cream of the motor industries' current and recent apprentices and we are really pleased for Mark and Adam.

"To have two of our young staff members in the top three trainees in the Midlands is a fabulous achievement for Holdcroft Honda."

Entrants in the Skill Auto competition must have less than three years experience in the trade and should be working towards, or have completed, relevant vocational training qualifications.

Mark, who is in the second year of an apprenticeship, said: "I entered the regional competition last year and came fourth and was determined to do even better this time around.

"Knowing Adam was also competing spurred me on and I am now waiting to see if I have done well enough to reach the national finals."

Adam has worked for Holdcroft Honda for four years and has qualified as a technician after recently completing his apprenticeship.

"Standards in the competition are very high but third place in the regional heats could still see me through to the UK final if my scores are higher than those from the other regional heats," added Adam.