YOUNG People across Worcestershire are being called upon to submit their applications to be in with a chance of becoming the Young Poet Laureate, for 2016.

The search is on for creative young people between the ages of 13 and 19 who live in Worcestershire, or attend a school, college, university or youth club in the county.

Budding poets are asked to submit two poems, one on the subject of 'light' and another on a subject of their choice.

Current Young Poet Laureate, Chloe Clarke, is nearing the end of her reign but has enjoyed her experience, which has seen her writing, performing and enthusing other young people across the county.

16-year-old Chloe, from Redditch, said: "It was great when I won the competition because I'd actually entered the year before and got to the final. I thought I'd give it another go and it was great to win a second time round. It proves that if you try again you can get something.

"I have been invited to a number of different places reading and writing poetry and I've been commissioned to write some poetry which means I actually get paid for writing specifically for something."

In offering advice to this year's hopefuls, she said: "Don't doubt yourself. Believe that you can do it and just write what you know."

Chloe's winning poems titled The Soldiers' Shadows and Skinny's Society can be read at worcestershire.gov.uk/wordup.

The website also includes an entry form for this year's competition. Entries can be made until the deadline of midnight on Thursday, December 31.

Cllr Lucy Hodgson, county council cabinet member for localism and communities, said: "People can see poetry as a bit daunting or even obscure but Word Up is designed to show young people this is really not the case. Poetry is a really flexible way of writing and its possibilities are endless. It doesn't matter if you have never tried your hand at poetry before – we want to hear from you."