A Monmouth student has finished top of the class in a prestigious surgical essay competition.

Charlie, who is studying his A levels at Monmouth School for Boys, was the overall winner in the Wales’ Schools Essay competition.

Monmouth School for Girls’ student Caitlin was the runner-up.

Run by The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, students had to submit a 500-word essay on the title: Surgical Consent: How do we Truly Inform?

The award winners were announced at the Eighth RCSEd All Wales Medical and Dental Student Surgical Research Symposium 2017 in Port Talbot.

Head of Biology at Monmouth School for Boys, Miss Emma Barson, said: “Unfortunately, Charlie couldn’t attend the symposium, but this did not reduce his chances and he won the competition outright.”