TALKING in class can be a good thing, especially when it helps you win a competition!

And a three-strong team from Lytham St Annes High technical college have done just that -- winning the district final of the Rotary public speaking competition, Youth Speaks.

Students James Geer, Shaun Couchman and Laura McLaren, all aged 14, presented a talk to judges at Lancaster and Morecambe Further Education College.

It focused on how the English language is changing, and how teenagers conduct their love lives via "coded" mobile phone text messages.

The talk was titled "LVU2" -- which in text message terms means "Love You Too!".

Margaret Anderton, school spokesman, said the talk was really well received and the team had done exceptionally well.

In order to enter the district final in Morecambe, the team first won the local Fylde area competition. They will now go on to a regional final, competing against teams of sixth formers from around the North West.