As the country celebrated National Poetry Day, in Norfolk hundreds of budding young writers were praised for their efforts in the EDP and Briar Chemicals Young Poets of the Year Competition.

Now in its tenth year, the compeition aims to encourage school children from across East Anglia to enjoy writing creatively.

And this morning the winners and runners-up attended a special awards ceremony in the Fusion digital gallery at the Forum, Norwich.

Abigail Clarke, nine, of Mile Cross Primary, Norwich, won the aged eight to nine category with her poem - named after this year's theme - 'A Strange Surprise'.

She said she felt 'proud' to have won.

'I like poetry very much and I wanted to write something exciting,' she said.

Darcy Tomlinson, 10, of Taverham Junior School, won the aged 10 to 11 category with her poem 'Dreams'.

She said: 'I have a lot of really vivid dreams so I thought I would write one down. I feel really happy to win.'

Courtesy of Briar the girls each won £100, and their schools received £500 each. Briar also donated £500 to Autism Anglia, the charity chosen by final-round judge Tom Blofeld, of BeWILDerwood, at Hoveton, near Wroxham.

The first-stage judges this year were Simon Proctor, of the EDP, Prof Anne Osbourn, of the John Innes Centre and the SAW Trust, and Tim Green, site manager of Briar Chemicals.

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