RESIDENTS of Morchard Bishop are justifiably proud of the fact that they have living in their village the National Live Champion Blacksmith of 2017 which makes Simon Hall the best live champion blacksmith in the country right now!

Simon is the third generation of blacksmiths in his family. The Hall family have a very reputable name in the art of blacksmithing. Simon works for his uncle, Andrew Hall, at one of the two forges run by Andrew. This is the Powderham Forge which is situated next to the Castle.

The other forge is the Branscombe forge the last working thatched forge in the country - 436 years old!

Simon has been blacksmithing full-time for six years, but has always had a keen interest and had many opportunities as a child to have-a-go on the forge!

There are competitions each year at County Shows where there are live competitions. This year Simon has competed in shows at North Somerset, Devon County, Royal Bath and West, Royal Cornwall, Royal Welsh, New Forest, Fodenbridge and Oxted and the Dorset County - a total of eight altogether.

He has won the live championship at five of them and took reserve champion at one, totalling a strike rate of six out of eight shows.

This has put him 40 points ahead of his nearest rival, thus earning him the title of National Live Champion Blacksmith of 2017 and therefore the best live Champion Blacksmith in the country.

At the beginning of the year, Simon was awarded the title of Associate of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths which is a massive achievement in itself, as he has had to prove to the Worshipful Company that his skills and talent are up there with the best of them!

Karin Moffett