Novelist Jan Michael will present the prizes in this year’s Airedale Writers Circle children’s writing competition.

Jan, whose latest children’s novel Moorside Boy was published last September, has agreed to attend the awards ceremony at East Riddlesden Hall in May.

She has also written a series of novels including Leaving Home, Just Joshua and Star Over Amsterdam The writing contest, now in its 19th year, was launched this week and is free to enter for all children.

An Airedale Writers Circle spokesman said youngsters who entered the competition would be improving their thinking and writing skills.

He said: “Children have amazing imaginations and some of the stories and poems they’ve created are utterly charming.

“But on a more serious side, we’ve now linked the competition to the key stages found in schools.

“This allows the children to create something that is essentially for fun, while demonstrating an ability to plan and develop a narrative, be it a poem or a short story.”

The upper limit for the competition is year nine and children can enter independently or through their school. Entrants do not have to live in Keighley.

Entry forms can be found at airedalewriters.btck.co.uk, and rules are available from local libraries or the website.

The closing date is March 21.

The Writers Circle also wants to hear from local companies willing to sponsor the competition in future years.