WIRRAL-born embroiderer and textile artist Rachael Howard has won top honours in an International competition.

Her entry Millennium Itinery which was placed joint second in the 1998 Anchor Award for European Embroidery Design, is on show with the top 70 international entries at Voirrey embroidery Centre at Brimstage Hall.

The exclusive exhibition called Approaching the Millennium can be seen until September 25 and was officially opened by Wirral's Mayoress, Mrs Shirley Lloyd.

Voirrey is the only UK venue for the exhibition which has been on show in Germany, and will return to the continent after the British show.

Staff at Voirrey are especially delighted with Rachael's success as she used to work at the centre as a sales assistant in the late 1980s, during Summer breaks from Loughborough College of Art of Design, before going on to the Royal College of Art in London.

Now an internationally recognised textile artist and designer she has exhibited all over the Uk and abroad. She now lives in London with husband John and new-born daughter, May.

The 1998 Anchor award, held every two years, attracted 211 entries from 25 countries and was judged by an international jury. The award, sponsored by Coats Mez in Germany, aims to stimulate artists to look for new forms of textile design in contemporary embroidery and apply their ideas in practice.

Admission to the exhibition at Voirrey is free and the centre is open, Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm (8pm first Thursday of the month) and Sundays, 1pm to 5pm.

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