SUCCESS came at the double as two hairdressing trainees at a Wye Valley salon proved a cut above their rivals at a premier hair and beauty event.

Jessica Sayce, 21, from Bream, and Jessica Francis, 19, both scooped awards at the Salon Cymru event in Cardiff.

The duo, who work together at Hair by Jones in Monmouth, performed in front of 500 competitors and spectators at Y Plas in Cardiff University’s Students’ Union.

Jessica Sayce won the open colouring competition and Jessica Francis took the blow dry competition for level two learners.

Salon colleague Natalya Antypa was also third in the colouring competition and received her Hair Council state registration certificate from Shirley Davis-Fox, MBE, ISA Training’s chairman, having recently completed her apprenticeship with the company.

Salon Cymru is organised by Bridgend-based ISA Training, the largest independent hair and beauty training provider in Wales. Top hairdressing and beauty talent from across Wales attended the annual event in the capital to showcase their creative skills in eight competitions.

It’s been quite a year for Jessica Sayce who has also completed her apprenticeship in hairdressing and has recently returned from a two-week work experience placement in Tarragona, Spain.

Last October, she also spent five days at the famous Vidal Sassoon London Mayfair salon after being selected as the first recipient of a new scholarship awarded by Mrs Davis-Fox.

The scholarship covered the cost of Jess’s five-day ABC Cutting course, which was devoted to the touchstone techniques used by Sassoon-trained stylists. She plans to attend a progression course later this year.

“I am just so happy to win this competition,” she said after impressing judge Steven Smart, former British, European and World hairdressing champion, who praised the beautiful copper colour she had managed to achieve on her model Vicky Beddoes.

Jessica Francis, who began her foundation apprenticeship six months ago, celebrated success with her model Holley Carpenter in her first ever competition.

“I am over the moon because I never expected to win,” she said. “My ambition is to be the best hairdresser I can be.”