A MALVERN man's prize shed, perfected during lockdown, was named as a finalist in the Shed of the Year competition.

Paul Richardson renovated his shed "The Pentagon" during lockdown as his first shedding project.

In his submission to the competition, run by Reader Sheds, he said: "Our first ever shed build, we decided to try and use loads of recycled materials to make a great shed in the garden.

"The original design was based on the length of scaffolding boards and five rotting windows which we wanted to upcycle into our five sided shed so we could see the views from our garden.

"We repaired all the rotting window frames, then cut and fitted 28 new glass panes ourselves using old glass which we got from friends and neighbours.

"We spent hours burning all the outdoor wood using our version of the 18th Century Japanese shou sugi ban to create the matt black finish you can see which helps the shed blend into the background.

"The Pentagon also features a unique legless office desk designed, welded and built by our son (his first ever furniture project).

"We converted loads of old pallets into the indoor cladding and added dimmer lights inside and out to get that old "ski lodge" look.

"We added multi-layered decking to sit around the fire in an evening and an overhanging roof as a shelter for rainy days."

This year's Shed of the Year competition sees entrants from across the country competing to win £1,000, a plaque and the accolade of "Shed of the Year".

Held every year, the awards celebrate well-designed and incredible sheds from across the UK.

"Sheddies" as they are known devote thousands of hours to create their perfect shed, either as workshops or family living spaces.

For more information about "The Pentagon" and to see more of this year's entrants, go to www.readersheds.co.uk/