THE speech and drama section of Burnley Festival attracted over 300 entries from all over the North West.

The event was held on Friday and Saturday at Central Methodist Church, Burnley.

The music classes are taking place this coming weekend at St Peter's Church and Burnley Mechanics.

Local winners of speech and drama classes were:

Choral speaking up to 11 years: 1, Peel Park School, Accrington; 2, Sunnybank School, Burnley: sonnet: 1, Caroline Watkinson, Rishton, 2, Sarah Harper, Higham, 3, Jemma Drake, Burnley: mime, up to 11, 1, Nicola West, Chorley, 2 Megan Mackay, Chorley: aged 12-16: Victoria Robinson, Chorley: improvisation group, up to 11, 1, Megan Mackay and Nicola West; 12 and over: 1, Caroline Booth and Abigail Warren, Chorley and Leyland, 2, Charlotte Seward and Hannah Wojciechowski, Chorley.

Solo improvisation, 12 and over: 1, Caroline Booth, 2, Heather Beardsworth, Foulridge: acting solo up to eight years: 1, Roseanna Leathley, Burnley; 9-11: 1, Sarah-Jane Whitehead, Burnley, 2, Nicola West; 12-15: 1, Caroline Booth, 3, Jamie Newby, Burnley; 16-18: 1, Jemma Drake, Burnley, 2, Corby Clayton, Accrington, 3, Hannah Miller, Earby. Bible reading 8-11: 3, Sarah-Jane Whitehead: 12-16: 2, David Westmoreland, Burnley; 17 and over: 3 Corby Clayton.

Unprepared reading up to 9: 1, William Perry, Burnley; 2, Roseanna Leathley, 3, Sophie Cowgill, Burnley; 13-15: 1, David Westmoreland, 2, Caroline Booth, 3, Des O'Malley, Chorley; 16 and over: 2, Cynthia Ramsay, Accrington.

Prepared reading up to 11: 1, Lewis Stott, Burnley, 3, Roseanna Leathley; 12-16: 2 Jenna Webster, Burnley, 3, Des O'Malley; 17 and over: 1, Cynthia Ramsay; verse from memory up to six: 2, Thomas Rees, Chorley, 3, Melissa Atkinson, Burnley; 7-9: 1, Megan Mackay, 2, Roseanna Leathley; 10-12: 2 Frances Perry, Burnley, 3, Jenna Webster, Burnley; 13-15: 1, David Westmoreland; 16-18: 1, Corby Clayton, 2, Caroline Watkinson. Shakespeare up to 12: 3 Frances Perry; 13-15: 2, Sarah Harper, 3, Alex Menhennet, Chorley; 16-18: Jemma Drake, 3, Caroline Watkinson; own poem: 9-11:2 Lucy McCann, Burnley; 3 Daniella Hargrave, Burnley, and Kimberley Pearce, Read; 12-15: 1, David Westmoreland, 2, Rosie Edmondson, Burnley, 3, Tell Ecroyd, Burnley; over 19: 1, Elsie Collinge, Burnley.

Essay up to 16: 1, Heather Beardsworth; 17 and over: 1, Winifred Rawlinson, Burnley, 2, Elsie Collinge; solo comedy: up to 16: 1, Adam Leach, Burnley, 2, Des O'Malley; Lancashire dialect up to 11: 2, Megan Mackay, 3, Georgina McClellan, Chorley; 12-14: 1, Des O'Malley, 2, Alex Menhennet, 3 Caroline Booth and Sarah Harper; 15 and over: 2, Jack Stephenson, Brierfield, Jemma Drake; favourite poem: Jemma Drake; soap box up to 16: Caroline Booth; 17 and over: 3, Cynthia Ramsay, Burnley.

Recital: 1, Kathryn Hunter, Burnley; story telling 12-14: 1 Caroline Booth; news bulletin up to 15: 2, Charlotte Seward, Chorley, 2, Nicola West.

Fenton award: Adam Pimblett; millennium contest nominee: Jemma Drake.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.