Three young automotive technicians from the UK are currently competing in the WorldSkills competition in Canada.

Daniel Cain, a Grimsby-based automotive technician who works at Just Car Clinics, will compete in the automobile technology category and Dean Jones, who works for Mercedes-Benz of Swansea will be vying for a medal in auto body repair.

Denham-based apprentice car painter Zak McLaughlan who studies at Thatcham and works at Solus Norwich Union will be hoping for gold in the car painting category.

All three technicians are part of Team UK who are competing at WorldSkills 2009 - the skills equivalent of the Olympics – which, watched by an estimated 200,000 spectators, will see over 900 competitors from 51 nations compete in 45 skills ranging from landscape gardening, IT and cooking to hairdressing.

From over 5,000 young people the squad of 26 were selected following numerous regional and national finals.

The automotive competitors achieved their place following a selection process as part of the Skillauto competition.