CHILDREN across East Lancashire are being given the chance to design their own Christmas card and have them featured in the Lancashire Telegraph for this year’s second annual festive card competition.

Primary school children aged four to 11 are being asked to get creative and produce designs of everything from Christmas trees, presents and snowmen.

We will feature as many cards as we can in our Christmas supplement on November 24 and readers can vote for their favourite design.

The winner from each category, aged four to seven and eight to 11, will have their designs printed on cards by professional printers Impression Bolton Ltd for them to send out to their family and friends, making them an extra-special gift for Christmas.

Prizes on offer include a family ticket for the Christmas Show on Ice at Blackburn Arena and three family tickets for the pantomime at Thwaites Empire Theatre.

The closing date for entries is Friday, November 3, with all primary schools across East Lancashire invited to enter.

Cards can be made using paints, coloured pencils or felt-tip pens.

Cllr Dave Harling, Blackburn with Darwen executive member for schools and education, said: “Children are very creative and Christmas cards drawn by children have a very special place in people’s hearts. To encourage them to do it and for them to be shown in the paper is a nice thing to do.”

Nick Kennedy, chair of governors at Sacred Heart RC Primary School in Blackburn, said: “We are delighted to support this and think it is a good idea.

“It will be another outlet for the children’s creative talents.”

Simon Jones, chair of governors at Cedars Primary School in Blackburn, said: “It sounds like a really positive initiative. Well done Lancashire Telegraph.”

And Jacqui Young, head of St Stephen’s CE Primary School in Blackburn said: “That will be fun. It allows the kids to do something creative and have a bit of fun.”

Send it, along with your name, name of the school, phone number and address, to The Lancashire Telegraph Design a Card competition, Newspaper House, High Street, Blackburn, BB1 1HT.

You can use the template on this page or download a copy from lancashiretelegraph.co.uk.

Usual Newsquest competition rules apply. Visit the www.newsquest.co.uk/prize-competition-rules for more information.