A HORSFORTH surveyor has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award.

Sam Piplica, 30, is in the running for the RICS Matrics Young Surveyor of the Year Awards, to be held in London on Friday, November 17.

Sam was born and grew up in Horsforth and went to Abbey Grange High School before going onto Northumbria University to study Building Surveying. He graduated in July 2010 with a BSc (Hons) and is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

He now lives in South Shields with his wife Joanne and baby son Jensen and works as a Senior Chartered Building Surveyor at Building Surveyors Ltd in Newcastle.

He said: "It would be amazing to win, and to showcase professional services in the North East on a national stage.

"It will also hopefully inspire future generations of surveyors that there’s exciting opportunities in the North and small practices are exciting places to work."

Ninety young surveyors from across the UK are on this year’s shortlist.

Sam's parents Dianne and Marko Piplica, who still live in Horsforth, said the North East of England and Yorkshire had people of talent and enterprise.

They added: "As proud parents, we are thrilled and delighted that Sam has been selected in the Building Surveyor Category for this prestigious award by the RICS. We will both be there to support and cheer."