It was the sick bloke wot won it.

Team Liverpool - Mohammad Pandor, Alison Ridley, Keri Jones and Liz Goldsack - have been successful in the innaugural Civil Service Challenge, stealing the title away from hungry counterparts in the Plymouth, London and Nottingham groups.

Sir Gus O'Donnell said the winners, and indeed all 16 competitors, made him feel proud to lead the civil service. And one of his fellow judges, Mr Efficiency Sir Peter Gershon, said the best people in the private sector would struggle to emulate the performances of the respective teams.

If you've been following the challenge, you'll know each team was dropped in a strange city and charged with delivering a presentation to local businessmen on the value of apprenticeships. The Liverpool crew were doubly hampered by the fact that Keri, who they'd nominated as team leader, was struck down by food poisoning after the first night.

Although he was bed-ridden for the bulk of the challenge, first prize for best line of the entire week goes to Keri. At the awards ceremony, he assured everyone that he managed to live up to one of Sir Gus O'Donnell's legendary four p's - pace. "I lived up to the pace mantra by dashing between the toilet and the sink."

More importantly, they actually managed to interest people in taking on apprentices.

Worthy winners indeed.