A WOMAN aeronautical engineer who grew up on a farm near Dulverton won two top national awards at the recent Science, Engineering, Manufacturing and Technologies Alliance (Semta) Skills Awards 2016.

Emma England, 26, a loads and aero-elastics engineer at aerospace and defence giants Airbus Operations Ltd, Filton, Bristol, beat off strong opposition to win Best of British and Graduate of the Year awards.

She was one of three British women to win some of the engineering industry’s most prestigious awards, at the event held at The Hilton Park Lane.

Semta is a not-for-profit, employer-led organisation, responsible for engineering skills for the future, in the UK’s most advanced sectors.

“I was a bit shocked, but it is great to have women in engineering recognised at national level,” said Emma, who went to Cutcombe C of E First School, Minehead Middle School and West Somerset College.