There is good news in the north-east of England, thanks to the coffee craftsmanship and skill of one particular coffee shop owner.

As we all know, the coffee industry is something of a global one and so it is rather encouraging when someone stands out from the crowd, so that their skills and products can travel beyond national boundaries.

And that is exactly what is happening to the owner of Flat Caps Coffee in Newcastle.

So what is this good news?

Joe Meagher has recently won the regional heat in the north east for the UK Barista Championship.

He is not a newcomer to this success and in fact was awarded best cappuccino maker this year and last year, too.

He also bagged the best signature drink.

The competition requires participants to prepare twelve coffee drinks in just quarter of an hour   four signature drinks, four espressos and four cappuccinos.

The aim of these regional heats is to find the national champion who will then go on to represent his country in Australia for the World Championships later in the year.

The next leg of the journey for Meagher is to attend the competition in London in April 2013.

Does he fancy his chances?

It would seem so.

According to reports, Meagher is the national third on points and the top 20 baristas will go to the London competition.

If he strikes lucky again in the capital in April, he could be on his way to Melbourne later in the year, to showcase his skills and product to a much wider audience.