Apprentices at RNAS Culdrose have been singled out for praise thanks to their work during lockdown.

Normally the apprentices, who work for company Serco, are based in the Merlin Depth Maintenance Facility on W-site, at the far eastern end of the Helston air station, where the Royal Navy helicopters are overhauled and repaired.

However, during the coronavirus lockdown the management team looked for creative new ways to re-deploy their apprentices to support and carry out projects that would benefit the whole base.

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Led by Matthew Davies, a small team made up of 20-year-old Alex Barnett from Mullion, 21-year-old Rob Beard from Falmouth, Bayley Kilford, 19-year-old Katie Phelps from Falmouth, Jordan Sidwell and 21-year-old Ben Werry from St Austell completed a project to refurbish and repaint an arcade over in the living-quarters, which had not been invested in for many years.

The group has also been involved in other projects around the air station.

In recognition, each apprentice was given an emblem of a sea hawk, the symbol of RNAS Culdrose that is also known as HMS Seahawk as its naval name, which were made on the station's 3D printers. These were given to them by RNAS Culdrose commanding officer Captain Stuart Finn, watched by Commander Martin Barlow who nominated the apprentices.