Hayley McAuley, 38, has successfully defended her title as Flatpack World Champion at the competition held at ExCel London. The warehouse worker from Wigan, Lancs, built a bedside table in eight minutes and 20 seconds, more than a minute faster than her winning time last year.
McAuley, who runs her own flatpack support business, said she was 'over the moon' to retain the crown. 'The competition was tough this year and everyone brought their A-game, so I'm really proud to have held on to the title,' she said.
The event, part of Grand Designs Live, saw two groups of enthusiasts compete in two rounds. The first involved assembling an IKEA Billy bookcase, with the fastest two from each heat progressing to the final. The last four then built an IKEA Billy two-drawer bedside table in front of a live audience, with property expert Kunle Barker providing commentary.
Barker praised McAuley's performance, saying: 'Honestly, wow. Hayley's just in a league of her own. Two in a row is no joke.' All furniture assembled during the competition will be donated to the British Heart Foundation.
