Budding young authors and poets have been rewarded for their efforts in an annual contest.

The Airedale Writers' Circle children's competition continues to be as popular as ever - this year 359 manuscripts were submitted.

And the successful entrants received their prizes and certificates in a ceremony, in The Barn, at East Riddlesden Hall.

Author Penny Dolan entranced the youngsters with a description of how she had linked her imagination and experiences to produce one of her books.

And she praised the children for the effort and imagination they had put into their entries.

Judges read 186 poems and 173 stories, some submitted by schools and others independently.

Entries were sent in by children from Keighley, Bingley, Cross Hills, Gargrave and Ilkley.

Themes were diverse and standards high.

The judges praised all the entries and thanked Keighley Gala committee and the Community Chest for their sponsorship of the contest, which was free to enter.

Ricky Singh, eight, from Lady Lane Park School, in Bingley, was the winner of the poetry section (up to eight years) with "If I Had Wings". Runner-up was Tegan Knappy, six, from Oakworth Primary School, with her poem "Rain". Highly commended certificates were awarded to Lady Lane Park School pupils Elisha Baranian, for "Clear", and Arran Curtis-King, seven, for "Illusion". Commended certificates were awarded to Charlotte Harris, seven, from Oakworth Primary School for "There's Magic in the Air"; to Sophie Daniel, eight, from Lady Lane Park School for "Different Feeling, Different Colour" and to Joshua Boon, seven, from Ben Rhydding Primary School, for "I Want to Paint".

Cain Redmayne, eight, from Oakworth Primary School, won the story section in the up to eight age group, with "Crania". Bethany Murray, eight, was runner-up with "I Believe in Fairies?" Highly commended certificates went to independent entry Gaynor Yates, six, from Oakworth Primary School, for her story "Anti-Bullying"; Ragen Hanson, seven, also from Oakworth Primary School, for "The Beautiful Butterfly" and Ben Rhydding Primary School pupils Charlotte Armitage and Alice Saunders, both eight, with "How the Sky was Made" and "The Animal Catastrophe". Dominic William-son, eight, from Oakworth Primary School, was commended for his story "The New Generation", as was Amelia Horn, from Ben Rhydding Primary School, for "Uluru".

Winner in the poetry section, 9-13 age group, was Carina Holdsworth, 13, from South Craven School, with "The Price of War". She also took second place with her other poem, "The Fire". Highly commended certificates were awarded to Ela Lindley, nine, from Gargrave Primary School, with "Homeless"; Nathaniel Whittaker-Thompson, 10, from Lady Lane Park School, with "Through the Senses"; and Catherine Pearson, 13, from Ilkley Grammar School, with "Grandpa". Commended in this section were Elias Rugen, 11, from East Morton Primary School, with "Me and My Snowflake"; Laura Parnaby, 11, from Burley & Woodhead Primary School, with "Where Am I?"; Henry Hewetson, 11, from Gargrave Primary School, with "The Osprey" and Harriet Clarke, Emily Abrams and Harriet Harding, from Ilkley Grammar School, with "Seaside", "Friends" and "Spring".

In the story section, 9-13 age group, the winner was Emily Spears, 12, from Ilkley Grammar School, with "Fitting In". Catherine Flood, 13, also from Ilkley Grammar School, was runner-up with "Dangerous Affairs". Highly commended were Emily Williamson, 13, from South Craven School, with "The Escape"; and Elena Scott, 13, from Ilkley Grammar School, with "The Murder of Scruff". Commended certificates were awarded to Nicole Ellis, 11, from St Joseph's RC Primary School, Ingrow, with "Jelly Bean"; Charlotte Crocombe, 13, from Ilkley Grammar School, with "From One Extreme to Another"; Adam Dobson, nine, from East Morton Primary School, with "Onslow the Star"; and three pupils from Ben Rhydding Primary School - Eleanor Rice-Birchall, 11, with "Runaway by the Sea", Sarah Cripps, nine, with "The Prince's Wish" and Francesca Burgess, 11, with "Salty Water".