THREE aspiring authors from a Darwen high school are to have their stories published in a young writer's anthology.

Darwen Aldridge Community Academy pupils Trinity Lee and Ebony Southworth, 13, and Nicola Topping, 12, will have their stories available for the world to read in the Young Writers Spine Chillers - Northern Terrors Anthology, which will be released on April 30.

The trio were the only students from DACA to submit stories for the competition and have followed in the footsteps of 15-year-old student Holly Thompson who also got published last year.

Janet McCarthy, learning resource centre manager, said she could not have been happier for the students who all attend her Young Writers Club on Tuesdays after school.

She said: "I could've jumped up and down when I found out. I was so excited for them. They fought off competition from students all across the country and it's so amazing that they were all successful.

"For them to have achieved this at such a young age is phenomenal and inspirational for other students and I've got huge hopes for them and their future careers now.

"They are dedicated writers and it's an extra achievement for Nicola who also won the Sharon Bolton Most Promising Young Writer's award recently.

"The fact that they have already been recognised for their writing will stand them in good stead for the future and it's great that they've been able to prove that you can achieve anything if you try hard."

All the stories within Young Writers Spine Chillers all have a theme of soft horror.

Young Writers has been working with schools across the world for more than two decades, running annual competitions and workshops as well as providing free resources for young writers.

Brendan Loughran, headteacher at DACA, said he was very proud of all three girls and hoped they would continue to do great things with their writing talents.

He said: “We are delighted that three of our students have had their work rewarded in this way.

"To become published writers at such an early age is a great achievement and we hope that they will go on to produce even greater written works in the future.”