A PROFESSIONAL artist from Dorchester has scooped a prestigious music video award for his work with boy-band sensation 5 Seconds of Summer.

Chris Rowland, 28, a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, created the cartoon images for the Australian band’s lyric video for their hit single Don’t Stop and it picked up the best lyric video at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) earlier this week.

A lyric video is a music video which includes the lyrics to the song and it has been well received by the band, which comprises of 18-year-olds Calum Hood, Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford and 20-year-old Ashton Irwin from Australia, and by the band’s legion of fans.

The video, which went online three months ago, has already amassed 9 million views on YouTube.

Mr Rowland, who now lives in London, said: “It was really cool seeing my video being played at the awards.

“The record label first approached me in May to do it. The lads are all obsessed with comics and they came up with the idea of doing it in a comic book style.

“I did all of the drawings in four or five days, it was quite pressured and intense because I didn’t have much time but I do my best work under pressure and I think this is definitely up there with my best work.”

Mr Rowland was brought up in Puddletown before moving to Dorchester and attended the Thomas Hardye School before moving to Dorchester. He has now been approached by the band’s record label to draw more lyric videos for them.

Speaking of the moment he found out he won, Mr Rowland said: “It was completely unreal.

“I was filled with amazement and excitement. I was watching the awards on television with my housemates, there was a lot of cheering and we all had a few beers after I won.

“I still can’t believe it really.”

Mr Rowland’s win comes as it was revealed that Emil Nava, from Bridport, also scooped an award at the VMAs for his work on Ed Sheeran’s Sing music video.

Mr Rowland added: “I never knew there were so many creative types in West Dorset. It’s great that we’ve both got these awards.”