King's Lynn venue for contest between City College, Lowestoft College, Great Yarmouth College and CWA.

Construction students from Norfolk and Suffolk converged in King's Lynn yesterday to put their skills to the test.

Late replacements made all the difference to help Lowestoft College take the main prize as winners of the 2012 Norfolk and Waveney Building Apprentices Competition held at the College of West Anglia (CWA).

Student Richard Robinson stepped in at the last minute to take the gold medal in the painting and decorating section while Gavyn Adey did the same to win the carpentry and joinery gold.

It gave Lowestoft College the Carter Trophy, created and supported by the major Norwich-based construction company since 1976.

The competition has been held for the past two years at CWA, King's Lynn, which hosted the 2012 competition on Thursday against teams from the Carter Academy, City College Norwich, Great Yarmouth College and Lowestoft College.

Students, already working for building companies, were given set tasks to carry out in the individual trades: Brickwork, carpentry and joinery, electrical installation, painting and decorating and plumbing.

Robert Carter, current head of the RE Carter construction company, praised all the competitors.

He said they were part of the 'golden generation' who would have the skills gained through their employers and colleges to seize opportunities.

David Pomfret, principal at the college, said it was delighted to host this year's competition.

Awards went to: Brickwork: gold, Casey Clarke, Norwich; silver, Ryan Knights, Lowestoft; bronze, Ben Sayer, Lowestoft.

Carpentry and joinery: gold, Gavyn Adey, Lowestoft; silver, George Heffer, CWA; bronze, Thomas Starman, CWA.

Electrical installation: gold, Dale Wells, CWA; silver, Tom Mason, CWA; bronze, Scott Bennett, Lowestoft.

Painting and decorating: gold, Richard Robinson, Lowestoft; silver, Steven Foster, Lowestoft; bronze, Brady Hall, Lowestoft.

Plumbing: gold, Robert Carter, CWA; silver, Ashley Welland, CWA; bronze, Joshua Norman, Lowestoft.

Carpentry student Kai Smith collected the overall trophy on behalf of the triumphant Lowestoft team.