WE are reminding schools and young readers at home that our "In the News" poetry competition was launched last week, inviting budding poets between the ages of eight and 16 to send their thoughts and comments in verse by May 31.

Prizes on offer include books from publishers Dorling Kindersley and the chance to see your work in print.

To enter, find a subject linked to news that inspires you to put pen to paper - it could be a sad or happy story, or just something a bit quirky. Or it could be journalism itself, the printing process or modern communications systems that you want to write about; the choice is yours.

Make sure that your poem is clearly written and that you have included your name, age, school and home address, then ask a parent or teacher to sign saying that it is your own original work. Send entries to NIE Poetry Competition, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, High Street, Blackburn BB1 1HT. Our usual competition rules apply.

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