A drystone waller who suffered three heart attacks while building a 44-metre stretch of wall has been given a national award for his dedication to finishing the project.

Lee Jones, 43, from Shipley, had the heart attacks in one go whilst constructing the wall in Otley.

Medical experts instructed him to stay off work for 12 weeks to recuperate.

However, just a week after being hospitalised, the plucky waller returned to the building project.

And his eight weeks of perseverance and hard work paid off when he caught the attention of judges from the 2016 CLA Millennium Wall Competition.

He has now been awarded the biennial prize for the second consecutive time, having also scooped the coveted award in 2014. He had also been a runner up in 2012.

Mr Jones built his drystone wall at Keith Willis’ Beacon House Farm at York Gate, just outside Otley. It was a continuous stretch of curved wall skirting a large circular crater, which he accessed only from one side as the other was on a slope.

Recalling the advice to stay off work for three months after his health setback, Mr Jones said: “No pun intended, but I would have climbed walls being stuck inside for that period of time.

“Being a waller is physically hard work, and necessity dictates that you can’t really be off work for too long. On the plus side, my heart is exceptionally strong according to the cardiologist, all thanks to being a waller.”

The award is aimed at preserving the county’s ancient craft of dry stone walling, recognising and rewarding people behind the miles of distinctive walls that define Yorkshire’s famous landscapes.

Head Judge John Pridmore from the Yorkshire Dry Stone Walling Guild, said: “The wall was well packed to ensure a solid construction and it was obvious that time and care had been taken in shaping the coping stones which ran evenly along the top.”

Mr Jones’s interest started 20 years ago when he attended Craven College for a BTEC Diploma in upland resource management. That combined with his passion for wildlife and being in the outdoors and the countryside skills learnt, he found walling was something he could turn into a job he loved.

The 2016 award announcement was made later than usual because the farmer requested it to be delayed due to summer operations at the farm. Accepting the award, Mr Jones said: “It is a great honour to be judged winner of this prestigious award for a second time, and good to see that the CLA recognises traditional rural skills and crafts.”