A YOUNG craftsman from Barnoldswick is keeping traditional skills alive in the ancient art of stonemasonry.

Shaun Bradley runs his own monumental masons business from a unit on the Crownest Industrial Estate. Much of his time is spent using machines to inscribe headstones with text - what he calls the "bread and butter" of his job. But his passion is carving stone by hand, working designs that will last for generations.

And it is his skill in that traditional art form that has just won him a top national award.

The 32-year-old father of two has been presented with the Ireson Award by The Men of the Stones - an advisory body of experts from all fields of stonemasonry.

The award recognises the outstanding student of the year nominated by The Orton Trust, an organisation set up to encourage, foster and preserve craftsmanship in stonemasonry.

Shaun has been attending the Trust's residential courses at Orton, in Northamptonshire, for several years, learning the skills passed down through generations of stonemasons. Those skills are evident in the exhibition pieces he has created and which helped win him the prestigious Ireson Award.

Originally from Earby, he attended Ermysted's Grammar School, in Skipton, where he showed a considerable talent for art. On leaving school at 18 he went to work for Fairchild's monumental masons in Barnoldswick, learning the basics of the trade.

It was while at Fairchild's that he first learnt of the Orton Trust and persuaded the firm to send him on a hand lettering course there.

"What impressed me most was that the emphasis was on getting it right," said Shaun. "It didn't matter how long it took, it had to be right."

Unfortunately, he was later made redundant and it wasn't until setting up on his own business four years ago that Shaun was able to rekindle his passion.

He has attended the courses at Orton around twice a year, benefiting from a wealth of experience and expertise. Now he hopes to gradually develop the hand cutting side of his business.

"There are fewer and fewer left who will cut by hand, but there is still a demand for craftsmanship," said Shaun.

"It's important to build up a name for yourself, but I think that's starting to happen and hopefully this award will help.

"It takes longer to work by hand, so it's more expensive, but the end result is something that's unique. There can't be two alike."

Shaun can also mix traditional skills with modern techniques. For instance, the text on a headstone could be done by machine to keep the cost down, but it could still incorporate a hand carved design.

"For a monument, I like to speak to the family to find out what the interests of the person were and try to incorporate them in my design. It's a case of matching what the family wants with what can be done in natural stone.

"Once the family has approved the design I can start to carve it."

Shaun works with various types of sandstone, limestone and slate, all quarried in the UK and soft enough to be carved by hand. Much harder granites are imported and can only be worked by machine, although individual designs can be etched onto them using a special diamond pencil.

He gets tremendous satisfaction from starting with a design on paper and a piece of stone, and finishing with a piece of art.

"I came into the job to do this sort of work," said Shaun. "As long as I can make a living and keep doing some hand carving, I'm happy."

He said he was "chuffed to bits" to win the Ireson Award, adding: "It gives you a bit of a spur on. I do get told 'What are you wasting your time for doing something like that?' when I'm working on a hand-carved piece, so it's nice to get a bit of recognition."

Although Shaun's trade is memorials, he also takes commissions for other kinds of stone carving, such as date stones, monuments and signs.

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