Colourful wildlife, beautiful surroundings and a warning to protect the planet have been featured in poetry penned by youngsters in a creative writing competition.

Eastern Daily Press: Ruby Emms-Wright, nine, at Saxlingham Primary School, celebrates winning the eight to nine age group category in the Young Poet of the Year. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYRuby Emms-Wright, nine, at Saxlingham Primary School, celebrates winning the eight to nine age group category in the Young Poet of the Year. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2017)

The winners of Briar Chemicals' Young Poets of the Year 2017 contest have been announced, in what is the competition's 13th year.

With a theme of planet Earth, youngsters from the region's schools were asked to take inspiration from their surroundings.

Ruby Emms-Wright, from Saxlingham Primary School, was crowned the winner in the eight to nine-year-old category, while Ryan

Price, from Denver Primary School, won in the 10 to 11-year-old category.

Eastern Daily Press: Ruby Emms-Wright, nine, left, at Saxlingham Primary School, winner of the eight to nine age group category in the Young Poet of the Year, with runner up Hettie Thompson, nine, and head teacher, Lesley Payne. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYRuby Emms-Wright, nine, left, at Saxlingham Primary School, winner of the eight to nine age group category in the Young Poet of the Year, with runner up Hettie Thompson, nine, and head teacher, Lesley Payne. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

Ben Garrod, television presenter and evolutionary biologist, was the final stage judge for this year's competition and has provided his thoughts on each of the poems from winners and runners-up.

He said: 'Overall, there were so many great entries, it was hard to pick just one or two each time. Every single one of the poems in this competition had one thing in common in that they either celebrated the beauty of the natural world or reinforced the need for us to protect the world around us.

'In many of these poems, I felt a sense of sadness from the author. These pieces show that not only are our young people aware of the tipping point our planet faces but that they care also and want to see a positive change.'

The competition is part of Norwich-based Briar's Science in Schools programme, which aims to make science learning fun as well as informative.

Eastern Daily Press: The EDP and Briar Chemicals Poetry Competition was won by Denver student Ryan Price. Also pictured are Sarah Harman with runner ups (L) Annabel Flack and Lucy Glover. Picture: Ian BurtThe EDP and Briar Chemicals Poetry Competition was won by Denver student Ryan Price. Also pictured are Sarah Harman with runner ups (L) Annabel Flack and Lucy Glover. Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Archant 2017)

Sarah Harman, marketing and PR coordinator at Norwich-based Briar Chemicals and first-round judge, said: 'Briar supports STEM education and our science themed poetry competition encourages children to use their imagination and sparks an interest in science.

Our aim is to educate young people about important topics and make science learning fun.'

The winner of each age category will receive £100 and each of their schools will receive £500, courtesy of Briar Chemicals.

The firm will also donate £500 to support Mr Garrod's chosen charity, the Marine Conservation Society.

Eastern Daily Press: Ruby Emms-Wright, nine, left, at Saxlingham Primary School, winner of the eight to nine age group category in the Young Poet of the Year, with runner up Hettie Thompson, nine. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYRuby Emms-Wright, nine, left, at Saxlingham Primary School, winner of the eight to nine age group category in the Young Poet of the Year, with runner up Hettie Thompson, nine. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2017)

Winner - age eight to nine category

Ruby Emms-Wright, Saxlingham Primary School

Destroying the world

Eastern Daily Press: The EDP and Briar Chemicals Poetry Competition was won by Denver student Ryan Price. Also pictured are Sarah Harman with runner ups (L) Annabel Flack and Lucy Glover. Picture: Ian BurtThe EDP and Briar Chemicals Poetry Competition was won by Denver student Ryan Price. Also pictured are Sarah Harman with runner ups (L) Annabel Flack and Lucy Glover. Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Archant 2017)

Today I looked out of my window

I saw a woman smoke

Even though it was so small

The world began to choke

Eastern Daily Press: Ruby Emms-Wright, nine, left, at Saxlingham Primary School, winner of the eight to nine age group category in the Young Poet of the Year, with runner up Hettie Thompson, nine. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYRuby Emms-Wright, nine, left, at Saxlingham Primary School, winner of the eight to nine age group category in the Young Poet of the Year, with runner up Hettie Thompson, nine. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2017)

I went out and saw someone drop trash

Surprisingly the world began to crash

The trees were all chopped

I knew my world

Eastern Daily Press: The EDP and Briar Chemicals Poetry Competition was won by Denver student Ryan Price. Picture: Ian BurtThe EDP and Briar Chemicals Poetry Competition was won by Denver student Ryan Price. Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Archant 2017)

had stopped

Winner - age 10 to 11 category

Ryan Price, Denver Primary School

The Earth

The insects and the bees

The plants and the trees

The birds up high

The clouds in the sky

The sharks and the whales

The slugs and the snails

The fish in the seas

The friends and families

The worms underground

The air all around

The seals and the polar bears

The rabbits and the hares

The stones and the rocks

The orange-haired fox

The squirrels and the moles

The badgers digging burrow holes

The cats and the dogs

The branches and the logs

The Earth holds other things too

Other things like me and you