THE mayor of Swindon praised creative schoolchildren for their efforts in a short story competition.

Coun Garry Perkins judged the tales told about local heroes by Lethbridge Primary School classmates.

Imogen from Year Six took the winning title and top prize while in second and third place was Kinjal Chandra in Year Three and Muni in Year 6. The young authors won £40, £30, and £20 vouchers respectively for their inspired writing.

Councillor Perkins gave a commendation to the youngest entrant, Edmund Adams in Year One, who received £20 book vouchers.

Headteacher Lisa Mayes said: "The pupils who took part in the short story competition really enjoyed the creative challenge and we were very impressed with the range of stories that were submitted across the year groups based on the theme.

McCarthy Stone organised the competition and donated £250 to the school. The developer is behind the Gilbert Place retirement living site in Swindon.

Verity McKay from McCarthy Stone Southern added: “As a company, we appreciate that our responsibility is not only to build quality, purpose-built retirement properties, but also to create a positive legacy in the communities in which we build.

"Thank you to Lethbridge Primary School for taking part, to Coun Perkins for reading the stories and picking the winners, and well done to the children for writing so imaginatively and creatively."