ASPIRING journalist Andrew Seed scooped top prize in a writing competition after drawing on his own painful experiences .

Woodhey High School entered his first ever article, a moving piece about his personal experience of bullying in the 14 to 16 category of The Big Issue national writing competition.

Andrew, aged 14, told the Bury Times: "I really did not think I would win. I never considered a career in journalism until now. I am really chuffed."

The Big Issue invited young people to write about "social exclusion".

"I drew on my own experience of being socially excluded," said Andrew. In his article he wrote his encounters of being bullied were not so much physical but verbal and being ignored by people who were once his friends.

Fortunately, Andrew now has a new set of friends. He wrote: "I have not yet understood what their reason for leaving me out was. I am athletic, clever and thought I had a good personality. Maybe my only downfall is being small and skinny, and not able to stick up for myself!"

Andrew's article will be published in full in The Big Issue and he will take his second step into journalism by doing a week's placement with the magazine.

English teacher Saul Taylor, said: "Andrew really has done well. This competition was open to young people up and down the country. He has done better than people who are older than him, so it really is a great achievement."