Hayley McAuley, a 38-year-old warehouse worker from Wigan, has successfully defended her title as Flatpack World Champion at the ExCel London. She built a bedside table in eight minutes and 20 seconds to retain the crown she first won last year.
Ms McAuley said she was 'over the moon' with her performance. 'I can't quite believe I've done it again. The competition was tough this year and everyone brought their A-game, so I'm really proud to have held on to the title. It's such a fun event to be part of and the atmosphere was amazing.'
Her winning time was more than a minute faster than the nine minutes and 33 seconds she recorded in the inaugural event last year. She took home a golden Allen key medal for her efforts.
The competition, held as part of Grand Designs Live, saw two groups of flatpack enthusiasts compete over two rounds. The first round involved assembling an IKEA Billy bookcase, with the fastest two from each heat progressing to the final. The final four then built an IKEA Billy two-drawer bedside table in front of a live audience, with property expert Kunle Barker providing commentary.
Mr Barker said: 'Honestly, wow. Hayley's just in a league of her own. She had some proper competition this year, but to come back and win it again is seriously impressive. Two in a row is no joke. You do start to wonder... is anyone actually going to take that crown off her?' Fellow contestant Mark advised: 'In your childhood you build Lego - it's just the same thing but on a bigger scale. If you get bogged down and you're getting frustrated, the best thing to do is walk away. Just take 10 minutes.'
Organisers said all furniture assembled during the competition will be donated to the British Heart Foundation.
