Two of the four were born the other side of Offa's Dyke and they all had very different reasons for learning the language.

It was a close contest between Robert Hughes, who hails from Reading but now lives near Merthyr Tydfil, Baudewijn Morgan, who speaks five languages and lives in Llandudno, Sue Massey, originally from Ellesmere Port who now lives in Penmaenmawr and Gwanwyn Bartlett, a junior school teacher from Swansea.

Deciding on a winner is never an easy task for the judges in what has become one of the National Eisteddfod's top competitions and in an evening to celebrate the successes of each of the finalists, Sue Massey was announced as this year's Learner of the Year.

"I couldn't believe it," says Sue, who is 26 and works for Conwy County Council teaching children to play brass instruments. "I was absolutely gobsmacked when they announced my name. But it was a great feeling and I loved every minute of it."

Sue began learning Welsh while studying music at Bangor University. "When I moved to Bangor to study in 1997, I joined the Menai Bridge Silver Band. The majority of the band's youngsters were Welsh speakers and I couldn't understand a word they said, so I decided to learn so I could join in the fun," says Sue.

"I was born and raised in Ellesmere Port and I didn't have the first idea how to speak Welsh until I joined the WLPAN course in Bangor. I'm lucky that I've been able to practice my Welsh so often with friends in the band. Practicing makes such a difference."

Sue's year is sure to be a busy one as she takes on the role of Welsh learning ambassador, and her diary is filling up. "I will be speaking to a number of Welsh classes over the next few months in the hope that I can encourage them to continue and reassure them that they're doing the right thing in learning. I've also just got engaged, so I need to organise a wedding at some point too!"