A young worker at a Llanrwst chip shop is hoping to become Britain’s leading fish fryer.

Sam Parry, aged 22, has been named as one of the UK’s top 10 young fish fryers as part of The 2018 National Fish & Chip Awards.

Shortlisted for the Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year Award – one of 14 categories in ‘ Oscars’ of the fish and chip industry - Sam will now batter it out against nine other contenders with hopes of being crowned the UK’s Best Young Fish Frier.

Sam said: “You could say I was born to be a fish fryer. Top Chippy was started by my grandmother more than 40 years go, and I started helping in it as a young child. These days it is run by my mother and me. This is the second occasion I’ve got this far in the competition, and who knows I might get to the top this time.”

To get to this stage and secure a place in the coveted shortlist, Sam has faced a rigorous judging process, undergoing exam questionnaires and in-depth telephone interviews conducted by senior industry experts.

The competition is organised by Seafish, the seafood authority, was founded in 1981 by Act of Parliament and supports the UK seafood industry with the aim of achieving a profitable, sustainable and socially responsible future.

The Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year Award was developed to encourage the fish and chip industry’s younger generation* to nurture and expand their skills to become expert friers and positive role models for the next generation.

Over the coming weeks, the 10 semi-finalists will be subjected to further appraisal as they receive a skills based assessment - which includes chipping potatoes, making batter, frying fish - and undergo a personal interview during a comprehensive judging day at the National Federation of Fish Friers Training School in Leeds.