Amputee cobbler who lost arm to cancer is crowned 'Craftsman of the Year' - after fixing interchangeable tools onto his stump

Courageous cobbler Jon Chapman wasn't going to let losing an arm to cancer get in the way of using his tools of the trade.

The talented amputee fits his prosthetic right arm with a hammer, pliers and a stanley knife, allowing him to continue cutting keys and mending shoes at his shop.

His ingenious approach has seen Jon dubbed 'the human Swiss Army knife' - and has even seen him crowned Britain's Craftsman of the Year.

Jon, 43, was left devastated in 2006 when he was told his right arm would have to be amputated after he developed a cancerous lump in his hand.

He had had three months of radiotherapy and was initially given the all-clear, before the cancer returned.

And when doctors amputated the arm, threatening to end his career, Jon designed a solution - interchangeable tools that fitted onto his stump.

Now Jon has been awarded the prestigious Craftsman of the Year award after beating hundreds of nominations from across the country.

The dad-of-one, who has run his own shop in Derby for 30 years, said: 'It has been difficult but the attachments for my prosthetic right arm have really helped.

'I can now hold a nail and put it in with a hammer, which I couldn't do before.

'You just have to be positive. There are certain things I still can't do but Jake, my assistant, is there to help me.

'Having the prosthetic is amazing, it really means you can hold things steady while you are working. I even have a special hook for holding the steering wheel while I am driving.

'The hospital gave us some of the attachments which were converted and John added a handle.

'Onto that you then add the tools and I can do all sorts of things now.

'When I lost the arm I didn't see any way I could continue in my job, how does a craftsman work if he doesn't have a hand?

'You just have to be positive. There are certain things I still can't do but Jake, my assistant, is there to help me.

'There was a month when I was really down and I was thinking about selling the business.

'But the support I have had has been fantastic.

'I certainly never thought I would be winning awards, for a while I was worried about how I would pay the mortgage, never mind this.

'I was astonished even when I found out I had been shortlisted, but to win is just out of this world.'