Laura Downing has been appointed showrooms assistant manager at Essex builders merchant Kent Blaxill.

Downing has risen from being a Saturday girl six years ago and now will be concentrating on developing the Colchester showrooms along with manager Peter Last.
Previously Downing was for four years the paint and lightside buyer, a role she took on aged 17, doubling up as the paint counter supervisor at weekends.
She became a full-time Kent Blaxill apprentice in 2006, working in several departments and studying for an NVQ in customer care.