A LLANDYSUL barber has proven she is a cut above the rest by winning the first-ever S4C lorry driver challenge.

Mari Slaymaker was one of four contestants battling it out for an HGV lorry licence worth £1,000 in the drive-a-truck challenge programme Trycar.

Mari skilfully manoeuvred her way to the front, impressing adjudicator Russell Jones and trainers Huw Williams and John Wyn Owen on route to victory.

The winner was revealed at the end of the show on Sunday on S4C.

The four drivers on Trycar drove along the roads and lanes of Gwynedd and Anglesey, as well as the Trac Môn race track, as part of the challenge before the winner got the opportunity to take the test.

The talented hairdresser in her 20s brushed off Penrhyndeudraeth musician and ropes expert Huw Alwyn, Anglesey furniture restorer Enfys Greeney and Cae-athro buildings designer Gareth Rennie to get over the line.

Mari, who has won a number of business enterprise awards, is now hoping that a generous transport or logistics company will lend her a lorry to carry much-needed goods to poverty-stricken people in Romania.

Mari said: “I’m delighted to win the competition and receive my HGV lorry licence. I’m so glad of the opportunity to learn the skills with the trainers and that the judge Russell Owen believed I was good enough to be a lorry driver."

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