Two technicians from Hodgson Mazda have graduated from their Mazda apprenticeship with one winning the ‘apprentice of the year’ award.

Graham Guthrie from South Shields and Tom Chambers from Fenham both attended an award ceremony in Nottingham where there were awarded with their graduation certificates with their boss, services manager Andrew Plant.

Guthrie got the extra surprise when he discovered that he had won the ‘apprentice of the year’ for the third year of his course nationally.

Guthrie said: "I was pleased that both Chambers and I had managed to get through such a testing three years but winning the apprentice of the year award is just the icing on the cake. I’m thrilled."

The Hodgson business has a history of developing award winning technicians and has previously scooped both national and European honours at its Silverlink Hodgson Toyota dealership.

Employing 140 staff Hodgson operates Toyota, Suzuki and Mazda dealerships in Silverlink together with a Toyota franchise and new rental division at the MetroCentre, Gateshead.