SOME of Knutsford’s top young writers have been hailed at a competition presentation evening held in the town.

The competition was called ‘Write a Story for Knutsford’ and was open to all the local primary schools.

It was organised by volunteers at Knutsford Heritage Centre and pupils were asked to write a story with a word limit of 300 words, although illustrations could be included.

It was divided into two age categories, one for children in years three and four and the other for children in years five and six.

The only rule for the pupils was that the story had to be about Knutsford, and organisers urged children to let their imaginations run riot.

Judges included heritage centre volunteers Emma Dearman and Val Dawson, Allostock poet Charlotte Peters-Rock and Guardian chief reporter James Wilson.

There were more than 60 entries, and 12 youngsters were given special recognition at an awards ceremony at the heritage centre on Wednesday, November 14.

Clr Vivien Davies, town mayor, was on hand to present certificates and goodie bags.

The overall winners were Connor Sharpe, from Yorston Lodge in the year 3/4 category and Darcy Hamand, from Bexton in the year 5/6 category.

Val Dawson, from Knutsford Heritage Centre, said: “We were delighted with the entries from all the five primary schools and for the support of the head teachers and teaching staff.

“The children’s stories were inventive and imaginative and captured Knutsford’s unique atmosphere.

“Some tales were funny and spooky, some sweet and cleverly used the past, present and future of our special town. Will we do it again next year? You bet.

“But we will make sure we have access to the whole of the heritage centre for the prizegiving.”

 

 


 

THE two winning entries can be read below:

Darcy Hamand’s entry:

Charlotte Motterhead’s Diary
Saturday, November 18, 1888

Dear Diary,
I went for a walk with Ida today. Oh, we are truly the closest of sisters. I made us a picnic to eat on the Heath. We had apples, currants and plums with lemon tarts and Madeira cake. It was delicious! I would do anything to live in a large house by the Heath and eat such a meal every day. At home we are lucky to get an orange at Christmas.
I have a friend named Isobel, I love playing with her. Isobel gets a dolly, a book, a dress and an orange each Christmas. I live in a poor part of Knutsford, so things are hard to get. I once went into Isobel’s house and we played in her bedroom as she can’t get herself dirty. I’d much rather lounge on the Heath or climb the big tree in her garden. As she went to use the privy I snook out to the garden and climbed up the tree. Then I found a sixpence and got carried away buying things, a blackberry pie, a penny’s worth of pear drops, a hokey-pokey and a notebook! I forgot all about poor Isobel and trekked home.
We cut the pie into seven pieces for Ida, John, George, Jack, Father, Mother and me. I shared the sweets out and gave Ida the ice-cream. We all had a feast on the Heath. Oh, the pie, I bit into the golden, crispy pastry and felt the fruity juice dance on my tongue. I don’t live in a grand house, nor do I have fine gowns like Isobel but that is not important. What is, is that I have the best family ever.
With Love,
Charlotte Mottershead.

 

Connor Sharpe’s entry:

The day the Aliens came to town
It was a lovely sunny day in Knutsford. The date was Saturday, May 5, and the whole of the town was excited getting ready for the Royal May Day.
At 2pm all the children began the parade through the town. They were dressed up in different costumes and following at the back was the girl who was to be crowned May Queen.
All of a sudden someone in the crowd noticed a float they hadn’t seen before, it was an alien float with a spaceship and two aliens on board. Everyone was scared, why would there be aliens in Knutsford and particularly on this special day?
The aliens were very well behaved until the time the actual crowing was taking place. They decided that one of them should be crowned May Alien and stole the crown from the Crown Bearer. There were people running everywhere, some were trying to catch the aliens, some were taking photographs, some were even just standing still in shock but no-one could get the crown back. Then they realised that actually the aliens had escaped, their spaceship was flying above them and disappeared over Tatton Park and into space.
The May Queen was crying as her crown was now on its way to outer space, instead of being on her head. She then noticed a piece of paper lying on the ground and picked it up. It was a photograph of the May Alien wearing her crown and smiling at her. The May Queen stopped crying and began smiling back at the photograph. Her special day had not turned out as it should have done, but it was the May Day that the whole of Knutsford would remember forever.