IF a paving job in South Wales was ever described as Dickensian it would have no connection with the Victor-ian author but a lot to do with a successful Cwmbran company.

Block-paving contractor Andrew Dickens (pictured) is celebrating the award of Top Paver of the Year bestowed by leading block paving manufacturer Tarmac TopPave.

It's a quality award that establishes his company's reputation for excellence of workmanship, in an area where standards sometimes vary as a result of 'cowboy' activity. A Dickens Paving, the name of the company, is part of an elite group of skilled and experienced contractors from across Britain who have proved to be first-class installers. Mr Dickens beat off fierce competition to win the title.

"Thirteen years ago I started working as a labourer for a local paving company," he said. "Now I'm top paver of the year. It's incredible.

"If customers realise the importance of choosing contractors who belong to an approved, quality-endorsed scheme, they can rest assured that they will be provided with quality work at an affordable price."

Mr Dickens, aged 32, was born in Abergavenny and moved to Cwmbran as a young child. He worked in factories and was a labourer for a while before working for a local paving company.

He set up his company because he had seen so many paving jobs done badly. In one notorious case, he had seen a company move through a whole area, leaving a lot of disappointed customers in its wake.

"Many companies just don't do the ground work," he said. "The result is that after about four months puddles and black water start to form. You may be able to salvage the blocks but you also may not."

His company is operating in an ever-widening area from Llantrisant in the west to to Ebbw Vale in the north. It offers an immediate and automatic 10-year insurance guarantee.

He said paving was now recognised as a craft and it was possible to obtain an NVQ for it. The three people working for him were recruited under the government's New Deal job-seeker programme and he hoped to take on four more by the end of the year. Each of them operates their own gang.

Most of his jobs are for private customers, though he does have a contract with a local building firm to install paved drives.

Mr Dickens will be giving a paving demonstration at a garden design and landscaping day on April 26, organised by builders' merchants Robert Price from Cwmbran. This will take place at the Price headquarters at Court Road Industrial Estate.

The TopPave scheme is endorsed by the Guild of Master Craftsmen.