German carpenters bless newly-constructed roof in centuries-old "topping out" tradition

The workers have been employed by developer Inventis - a company which only uses German engineering and labour for its projects - to build five new homes in Oxshott Road, Leatherhead.

Claire Arscott, 50, from Kingswood, owned the house which used to be on the site, previously called Jakes Place, which she sold to investors last year.

With planning permission granted for the development, named Hawthorn Row, work got underway in the summer.

On Friday, 40 people attended a "topping out" ceremony hosted by the carpenters to mark the development's wooden rafters going up to form the basis of the roof.

For centuries, builders have celebrated the moment a building structure reaches its highest point, originally with a branch of a tree, to bestow good luck on a building and ward off evil spirits.

The ceremony is now more commonly a gesture of goodwill to thank the workers and celebrate the progress made.

Ms Arscott, whose partner runs Inventis, said: "Everyone who came said they were very fascinated.

"It’s not taken as a joke. It happens every time the carpenters finish a structure.

"Everyone was really interested by it. It has a big meaning in Germany."

The carpenters, who Ms Arscott said are in a "brotherhood" and go travelling to "get experience of work and life" as apprentices, wore costumes for the event.

On top of the building a poem was read and the project's investors were invited to put the final nails into the roof.

A glass was also smashed and blessings said.

Builders, carpenters, architects and investors all indulged in a barbecue and a few drinks after the ritual.