YOUNG political hopeful Mark Bailey has a frightening message for elderly East Lancashire councillors - your time is up.

The Clitheroe Royal Grammar School pupil yesterday met Tony Blair after winning a top prize for writing an essay on politics and young people.

The 17-year-old was the North West winner for sixth formers in the Parliamentary's Press Galleries Bicentenary essay competition for schoolchildren.

Although he did not win the top prize - which went to Hannah Williams from Wales - he still got to meet the Prime Minister, get a tour of number 10 and the Houses of Parliament, and receive his award from Commons Speaker Michael Martin.

He came down to the event with his mother Sheila while his father David, like his wife a GP, was looking after patients in Burnley.

The Read teenager wrote in his essay that it was vital to get younger people involved in politics.

While this could start in primary school from issues like asking people to vote on what the school play should be, action had to be taken to tackle the perception of politicians as older people who ignored the views of the young.

Mark said: "One of the ideas I had promulgated was having a set quota of younger people on councils. I think that 25 per cent of councillors should be under 40 with possibly the age being reduced later.

"Too many young people think that people interested in politics are just old people with nothing better to do.

"I'd like to be a politician but I want to see young people interested in policy and democracy from the start.

"In primary school they should vote on things like the choice of school play and later on be taught about what politics mean. It's very important.

"I'm Labour and I think this government is doing a good job. I was delighted to meet Tony Blair and hear him speak to us. I am hoping to go to university to do languages and then who knows?"

His mother, who works in Clitheroe, said: "I'm very proud of him. He did a lot of work and it was lovely to come here."