Ms Evans is a third year apprentice at Coopers and Co Hairdressers. She has completed her certificate 3 in hairdressing and will complete her apprenticeship in seven months.

"I am on the home run," Mary said.

Mary won her medal by doing a female cut and colour which was completed in two hours. The second part of the competition she cut partners hair in a men's tapered cut in 40 minutes.

"I was pleased that my partner Greg Bennett volunteered," Mary said.

Mary is now forging ahead with her career which began with her initial interest in her senior years at high school.

She began working at Coopers and Co in 2017 and is now following in the footsteps of the other senior hairdressers.

"The judges watch and ask you questions about how I was going to plan and style the haircut," Mary said.

There were four judges from the New England who have a list of criteria that they marked the eight competitors against.

The criteria included providing shampoo and basin services, maintaining and organising tools, equipment and work areas, and applying safe hygiene, health and work practices.

The competitors had to provide salon service to clients, communicate as part of a salon team, and colour and lighten hair.

They also provided full and partial head highlighting treatments, designed haircut structures, and created combined haircut structures. The final criteria was to create a classic long hair up-style.