A DENTAL team from Penarth which was hit by two tragedies in just three months has been named the best in Wales.

Hickman House Dental Surgery's team won the 'best team' accolade at a ceremony at the inaugural Welsh Dentistry Awards which were held at the Principality Stadium on Friday, September 23.

The Hickman Road based practice beat 18 other nominated teams to the title.

Staff member Kirsty White nominated her fellow team members because of they way they kept the practice going after being struck by two traumatic events within months of each other.

In December 2013, Charlotte Lloyd a principal dentist at the practice, was told her partner had been diagnosed with cancer.

He died six months later and just three months after that, tragedy struck again as the other principal dentist Mark Roach was left paralysed following a motorcycle crash.

Ms White, the practice manager made the application to the awards as a "community" - one representing the team, dentists and patients.

She said: "I would like to say a massive thank you not only to the team and patients at Hickman House for their support but also to Mark and Charlotte who have showed commitment and motivation and believed in me and team throughout the past few years."

The judges saw fit to see them through to the final where they were ultimately successful.

There are currently 18 members of staff operating six surgeries with 10,000 patients.

Since these heartbreaking events, they have passed health board inspections and have gone from strength to strength.

Ms White said: "We would like to dedicate the award to our team but also to our patients.

"The practice has faced a few years of unfortunate events and without the patients' continued support and encouragement we would have not got through it."