WE set a challenge and, as usual, our local youngsters rose to the occasion to become winners of our Newspapers in Education poetry writing and reporting competition, rounding off our year long support of the National Year of Reading.

Winning entries to both competitions will be published in special pages of our newspaper later this month.

"In The News" was the theme of the poetry competition, while young journalists were asked to report on fun things to do in their own area during the school holidays. Both competitions were judged in separate primary and secondary sections.

Winners and runners-up receive one or more superb prizes of books or computer software from publishers, Dorling Kindersley, family tickets to Pendle Wavelengths and from Waves Water Fun Centre, Blackburn, free swim passes valid for six months for winners and three months for runners up.

First prize winners of the poetry competition are Alison Sumner, aged nine, of Barrow Controlled Primary School and Sarah Whittaker in year 8 at Alder Grange High School, Rawtenstall.

Alison receives a prize of books, including a beautifully illustrated copy of Robert Louis Stevenson's 'A Child's Garden of Verses,' and a school dictionary. Sarah will get Dorling Kindersley's 'GCSE English' computer software, guaranteeing a pass at grade A* to C.

Runners-up in the junior section are Emma Luckhurst of Salesbury CP School, Sasha Johns, Kyle Downham and Leoni Ashworth, all three from St James CEP in Clitheroe. Secondary runners-up are Natalie Banks, Benjamin Davies and Bryn Naylor, all students at Moorland High School, Darwen. Winners and all runners-up will receive a copy of Eric Leaver's book 'Images of East Lancashire,' giving a fascinating glimpse into a century of change.

Rain or shine, it will be a wet summer for the winners and runners-up of our "Holidays At Home" reporting competition, who have all won great prizes of tickets to Pendle Wavelengths and Waves Water Fun Centre, Blackburn.

Dale Underwood scooped the first prize in the junior section, while his class mates, Emily Newman and Nikkole Bennett, all of St James CE Primary School in Clitheroe are runners up.

Moorland High School, Darwen, took all prizes in the secondary section, with Corinne Walls emerging as winner and Rachel Greenwood and Kelly Sullivan runners up.

Dale also receives copies of books '200 Boredom Busters,' by Paul Scott and 'Great Art Attack Stuff with Neil Buchanan,' and Corinne gets 'Changing Your Room,' by Jane Bull, with great ideas for young DIY, and 'Painting - A Young Artist's Guide,' by Elizabeth Waters and Annie Harris.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.