WORK by a Silsden sculptor has won a prize at a prestigious event.

A bronze piece created by Joseph Hayton took the Tiranti Prize at the Society of Portrait Sculptors exhibition in London.

The accolade is awarded for the best work by a sculptor aged 30 or under.

Mr Hayton said he was delighted to receive the prize.

He added: "It's a great honour to have been selected for the exhibition – to have won one of the four prizes is just mind blowing!

"There are over 70 pieces on display from an international pool of artists, so competition was tough."

His winning portrait was of an eminent fellow sculptor and friend, James Butler.

"I was introduced to James a couple of years ago," said Mr Hayton, who lives at Silsden and creates his pieces from a workshop in Pateley Bridge.

"I'd been to see him at his studio in Warwickshire and when we got talking I asked if he would mind me sculpting a portrait of him, and he agreed."

Mr Hayton started on the piece early last year, and had worked on it on-and-off since.

"I really enjoyed doing it," said the 30-year-old.

"Portraits are a passion of mine.

"My background is in stonemasonry, so as well as working in bronze I use marble – which is quite a rarity these days – and stone."

His interest in sculpting, and artwork generally, goes back to his childhood.

He was a pupil at South Craven School in Cross Hills, where art was his favourite subject.

And he also drew creative inspiration from his father, a joiner.

After leaving school he took-up a stonemasonry apprenticeship with a Keighley firm, Yorkshire Stone Craft, combining on-the-job training with studies at York College.

He worked as a stonemason for six years, before setting-up his workshop in the Dales.

The Society of Portrait Sculptors exhibition, at La Galleria Pall Mall, Mayfair, ends today (May 19).