YOUNG readers are invited to become snap-happy to show us what they think of East Lancashire and to win some great prizes.

Our latest link up with the National Year of Reading is a competition for young photographers and is designed to support May's "reading without print" theme.

If you are aged between eight and 16, we would like to see your own view of life in our area. We have towns full of character, quaint villages and miles of wonderful open countryside - so let's be proud of it all.

Even our notorious weather could provide interesting atmospheric shots.

And don't forget the people - old and young, family or friends, perhaps taking part in a special event or just going about their daily lives - the possibilities are endless. Of course you don't have to take pretty pictures; you may want to make a visual comment on the need for environmental improvement or poor play facilities - the choice is yours.

We have superb prizes for the best entries judged in separate age groups.

Professional photographer Jack Barry has offered a session of tips from the top to schools of the winning entrants and winners and runners up will receive copies of books on photography.

A selection of the best entries will also appear in our special Newspaper in Education pages to be published this summer.

You can send up to three photographs each, taken either in colour or black and white and any size, to NIE Photography Competition, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, High Street, Blackburn BB1 1HT to reach us by June 14.

Don't forget to attach your name, age, address, school and if possible a telephone number. Please also include a list of titles of your pictures, giving brief details of people or places.

Our usual competition rules apply and the editor's decision is final.

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