WONDER welder Claire Murphy proves she can handle the heat as she moves one step closer to becoming Britain's most talented trainee.

The Ardrossan woman has come top in a semi-final event in the national SkillWeld 2013 competition, which aims to find the best trainee welder in the country.

Claire, 32, now stands a strong chance of being the only woman shortlisted to compete against nine others in the final stage of the competition, run by the SkillWeld Committee and Air Products, at the NEC, Birmingham, in November.

For the full story see this week's Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald.