A TEACHER from an Abergavenny school was a finalist in the Welsh Learner of the Year award at this year's National Eisteddfod.

Rhian Dickenson, who is head of Welsh at King Henry VIII School, and teaches Welsh as a second language was in the top four for the award this year.

She started learning Welsh at school, before going on to achieve a joint honours degree in Welsh and History at Cardiff University.

She was brought up in Gilwern but now lives in Abergavenny with her husband and daughter, Gwenan Lois.

Almost forty entries were received for this year's competition - the highest number ever - with many of them living in different parts of the world.

This was whittled down to just four. However, she was beaten to the top spot by Isaias Grandis who grew up in the Welsh-speaking part of Argentina and first came to Wales in 2006. He began learning Welsh at 15.

The winner was announced at the Bear Hotel, Cowbridge, close to where the National Eisteddfod is being held in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Eisteddfod Organiser, Hywel Wyn Edwards, said: "The standard this year has been very high, and it's been great to see so many people competing. It's a clear indication of the importance of this competition as part of the National Eisteddfod."

The successful four were excellent, and will undoubtedly inspire many others to learn Welsh. Everyone's experiences were so different and interesting, and all the competitors had their own reasons for wanting to learn Welsh."