BUDDING young journalists enjoyed a workshop in London after they won a prize for producing the best newspaper in the country.

The pupils from Fearns Community Sports College, Stacksteads, won two prestigious trophies for

the ninth edition of Fearns Chat in the national Shine School Media Awards competition in July.

They won best newspaper and best front cover.

As well as winning £1,000 for the school, three pupils were invited to attend a workshop at TES magazine, formerly Times Educational Supplement.

Fearns Chat reporters Year 9 pupils, Elleina Pickup and Bethany Parker along with Tanita Sims, a former pupil received tips from experienced reporters and took part in a variety of tasks.

They learnt how to sub copy, check for errors, write headlines, interview, and design and pitch a new magazine.

Tanita said: "I found it really interesting. It proved to me that I can write a news story on my own.

"Between the three of us, we wrote a headline for the headteachers’ protest on Downing Street that was happening that day and the journalists said they would have used it."

Bethany played the role of Ed Sheeran for a mock interview where Tanita and Elleina posed the questions.

Elleina said: "I found some of the workshops quite challenging. I liked the comments Bethany came out with when she was being Ed Sheeran; the things she came up with were hilarious."

Tanita's edgy report on Ed Sheeran also won praise from the journalists.

As Bethany and Elleina were making their first trip to London, after the workshop they managed a whistle-stop tour of the sights, from Tower Bridge to the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square to Downing Street.

The 10th anniversary edition of Fearns Chat was produced at the school in June.