Steve Wragg, the landlord of the Green Dragon in Market Lavington, has won through to the semi-finals of the national Licensee of the Year competition.

He is one of 13 landlords from all over the country to make it through.

It is the furthest Mr Wragg has got in the competition organised by the British Institute of Innkeeping.

He said: “We were a little bit shocked to hear I’d got through as I’ve entered twice before and never got past the second round.”

In the first round Mr Wragg had to answer 40 or so questions on the licensed trade and in the second he had to outline his aims and objectives.

Now each of the semi-finalists will be visited at their pubs by two independent judges who will select six finalists. They will be invited to London in April where they will be put through their paces by a panel of judges.

Mr Wragg and his wife Nicky have run the Green Dragon for eight years.