'I built Ikea's Billy bookcase in 9mins - men always make the same mistake with flatpack'

A woman who can build a Billy bookcase in under nine minutes has been crowned the first ever Flatpack World Champion – and claims she won because men never read the instructions.

“It was such a brilliant day and I am absolutely thrilled,” says Hayley McAuley, 37, from Wigan, who was awarded a golden Allen key by Grand Designs Live host Kevin McCloud.

Up against blokes who fancied themself as experts, Hayley says, “They were putting things in the wrong places. And some of them were missing screws and lots of them didn’t even finish.

“There was a guy next to me on my first build, one of his pieces was missing and he was looking for it, it was sitting by me, so I picked it up and gave it to him!”

The Flatpack World Championships, which is in its first year, saw eight competitors speed build flatpack furniture at the opening of Grand Designs Live at ExCel London on Friday.

The contest was split into two timed rounds and involved participants making Billy bookcases – and then in the final making a bedside table. Ikea says its Billy bookcase takes an hour to build for most people, but Hayley managed it in under nine minutes.

Then the flatpack queen took just nine minutes and 33 seconds to build the bedside table – quicker than most people take to realise they’re missing a lock nut – and demolished her male opponent.

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“Kevin was trying to talk to me but I was so focused on doing my job,” she says, and admits it was nerve-wracking building in front of a big audience at the show. “It was a lot of pressure, I mean, I was shaking.”

It was the first time Hayley had been to Grand Designs Live, and she made a trip of it by coming down for the day from Wigan and staying overnight. She says, “When I first heard about the competition from my friends, I jumped at the chance to enter as I’ve always thought I’m a bit of a machine when it comes to building flatpack furniture.”

Factory worker Hayley loves assembling furniture so much, she even does it professionally now as Hayley’s Flatpack Assembly Service after posting pictures of her own self-assembled furniture on social media.

Hayley, who lives with her bricklayer partner Martin, is now currently building a shed, but says she’s always been handy with an Allen key.

“When I was a child I went to Lake District with my mum and dad and I built our six-man tent! My dad says I once came in from playing and he was building a wardrobe, and apparently I stood there for a couple of minutes then said, “It’s on upside down that.”

And Hayley revealed the secret of her success. “Read the instructions. Not doing so sets you up for failure. And get all your screws and everything out together and ready. It’s all about staying calm.”

But even Hayley has found her build nemesis. “I tried to build a kids trampoline in the rain once – and it’s not difficult, but it was hard work.”

Grand Designs Live host Kevin McCloud congratulated Hayley, saying, “It was great fun and hugely amusing. And wonderful to see who took this seriously, and who accidentally sabotaged their own attempts to win!”

There’s no doubt this will turn into a very popular annual event, and already Hayley is planning on wiping the floor with the blokes again. “I will definitely be there. It was such a fun day,” she laughs.

The furniture pieces are being donated to the .

This is the 20th Grand Designs Live and the show runs until Monday May 5.