A PEMBROKESHIRE based artist has been named winner of Stourbridge's prestigious British Glass Biennale Prize.

The Egyptian-born Ashraf Hanna, a Royal College of Art trained ceramicist who moved into glass just two years ago, scooped the £3,000 top prize in the Biennale awards held today (Thursday) at the Ruskin Glass Centre as part of the town's International Festival of Glass.

Jury members were won over by his two untitled charcoal and blue pieces of kiln formed glass, which were created with the support of fellow artist Heike Brachlow.

Glass festival project director Elisabeth Johnson said: “All of our judges had a really tough job on their hands, the quality of the pieces and the range of techniques on show was astounding.

"Ashraf was a worthy and unanimous winner, his pieces have an elegant simplicity which belie the skills required to create them.

“All of the selected artists have proven themselves, just by virtue of being chosen to exhibit and I’m sure we will be seeing the evolution of many artistic careers following the awarding of these prizes from our many generous sponsors.”

Ashraf said of his success: “I really can’t believe I’ve won, it’s so unexpected. I was excited just to be chosen to exhibit. To have won is quite overwhelming and I’m so grateful to the panel for their appreciation of my work and their belief in what I do.”

He described his winning work - which comprises a soft, round shape held within a more structured rectangular form - as “an exploration in the language of form and material'.

The British Glass Biennale, the highlight of the four-day glass festival and a key event in the British glass art calendar, is Ashraf's first glass exhibition and the top prize is one of the most prestigious accolades in glass. Just being selected to exhibit at the Biennale is a milestone in an artist's career.

This year 77 artists were chosen from 200 applications to display their work which can be seen in the Biennale exhibition at the Ruskin Glass Centre, Wollaston Road, Amblecote,until June 28.

Pieces embrace a variety of glass-making techniques and submissions range from miniature to large-scale installations and include huge glass hammers, giant spectacles, a glass rat trap, a table set for afternoon tea and painted pictures of Dudley Zoo.

All selected artists have been living and working in the UK or northern Ireland for the last two years but many originate from across the globe. The only Stourbridge based artist selected to take part this time was Vic Bamforth who works from a studio at the Ruskin Glass Centre.

His two blown and painted graal pieces, Ooz Going to Dudley Zoo and The Strongest Links, see colourful local scenes infused with humour.