A Cardiff Metropolitan University student has won a national writing prize for a short story he wrote while studying for his degree.
Third year BA English & Contemporary Media student Tom Holland beat off stiff competition to take the top prize in the New Media Writing Prize's Student category, with his entry, A Dream Within a Dream.
26-year-old Tom from Whitchurch, Cardiff, submitted the story which he wrote as part of an assignment, upon the recommendation of one of his tutors, Spencer Jordan.
The prize itself is a three month paid apprenticeship with Unicorn Training in Bournemouth which provides industry-leading learning and development solutions for their customers through the innovative use of technology. Tom will take up the valuable placement when he graduates next year.
Penned under the pseudonym Herm Holland, A Dream Within a Dream is a modern adaption of Edgar Alan Poe's The Raven, featuring strongly autobiographical references from Tom's own life.
Speaking about the win, Tom said: "On hearing that I was shortlisted for the student prize I was both shocked and ecstatic. I had decided that I would have wanted to win the prize in that category the most, so to be chosen as the winner is an honour.
"My immediate reaction to the announcement was disbelief but it has definitely encouraged me to further pursue this type of writing. The level of support I've had from my tutors at Cardiff Met has been wonderful and without this I would not have won this award. It has given me a huge confidence boost."
Robert Taffurelli, Senior Lecturer in Media and Journalism at Cardiff Met's School of Education added: "We are very proud to see one of our students competing at a national level.
"Tom is evidently a talented writer and we are confident that he can use this platform to further pursue a career in his chosen field."