A SCHOOLGIRL'S artistic talent has won her a national competition and a trip to the capital.

Lisa Alexander (8), told her story in pictures to triumph in the Laura Ashley National Gallery junior art competition.

The contest was tied in with the recent "Tell Me A Picture" exhibition curated by Quentin Blake, Roald Dahl's illustrator and friend who selected the paintings which were on show.

Laura Ashley supported the event with a junior art competition, encouraging young entrants to draw on their imagination to make pictures, using their favourite stories, poems and adventures as inspiration.

Lisa, of Ashwood, Radcliffe, a pupil of Prestolee CP school, won the junior art competition for her region. More than 3,000 entries from children aged between three and nine were received, with many coming from school groups.

Such was the standard of work that the prizes were awarded to four children in each area, instead of one winner and a runner-up.

The exhibition at the National Gallery was an educational initiative designed to inspire children's natural curiosity and develop their creative talent.

Lisa's prize was a journey to London with her family and an outing to the National Gallery for a guided tour.

The youngster received back her original work, mounted and ready to be hung, as well as being presented with a new book illustrated by Quentin Blake and the "Tell Me A Picture" catalogue of visuals from the exhibition.

Diana Bourne, a spokeswoman for Laura Ashley, said: "We have been enormously impressed by the response from children all over the country.

"Their pictures were wonderfully expressive which made the final selection of regional winners very difficult."