See the amazing boat wheelhouse converted by an Oswestry couple that has won a shed of the year prize

An Oswestry couple have won an accolade in a national shed competition for their converted boat wheelhouse.

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The former fishing boat wheelhouse rescued from a Cumbrian dockside has been named the UK's Most Unexpected Shed in the 20th annual Tiger Shed of the Year competition.

The Wheelhouse, created by Richard Banks and Abi Chesterton in Oswestry, won the Unexpected/Unique category after receiving the most public votes. Hundreds of sheds were entered into this year's competition, with thousands of people voting to decide each category winner.

The unique garden retreat began life aboard the Silver Fern (MT99), a fishing trawler built in 1973. Richard and Abi discovered the wheelhouse while on holiday in Maryport, Cumbria, and Abi casually remarked that it would make a fantastic cabin in the garden.

Determined to surprise her, Richard tracked down the owner, who kindly donated the wheelhouse. While Abi was away with work, he secretly prepared the garden with a concrete base before arranging for the former trawler wheelhouse to be transported more than 150 miles to Shropshire.

Over the next three years, Richard painstakingly restored the structure, repairing rotten timber, rebuilding the roof, insulating the interior and fitting lights, heating and handcrafted furniture made from reclaimed materials. Today, the restored wheelhouse has been transformed into a cosy retreat while still retaining many of its original maritime features – including a working ship's wheel.

Richard Banks said: "We're absolutely delighted to have won the Unexpected/Unique category. What started as an off-the-cuff comment while we were on holiday turned into one of the biggest projects I've ever taken on. Seeing the old wheelhouse transformed into somewhere we can enjoy together has been incredibly rewarding, so it's wonderful that so many people voted for it."

Andrew Wilcox, founder and head judge of Shed of the Year, said: "For 20 years, Shed of the Year has celebrated the creativity, passion and ingenuity of shed owners across the UK, and this year's competition has been no exception. Every entry had its own story to tell, from peaceful garden retreats and workshops to incredible upcycled creations. It's fantastic to see so many people getting behind the competition and voting for their favourite sheds, with each of these category winners proving just how much character can be packed into a garden building."

Sam Jenkinson, head of marketing at Tiger, added: "To mark the 20th anniversary of Shed of the Year, we introduced more categories than ever before to reflect the many different ways people use their outdoor spaces. The response has been incredible, with hundreds of inspiring entries and thousands of public votes cast.

“Congratulations to all of this year's category winners, who have each captured the imagination of voters with their creativity, craftsmanship and unique stories. The Wheelhouse is exactly the kind of entry that makes our Unexpected/Unique category so exciting, giving a piece of maritime history a wonderful new life in the garden."