SCHOOLCHILDREN who took a trip into Worcester's past had plenty to smile about when they were presented with history awards.

Clever youngsters proved they were well on form when they scooped the top prizes at the Worcester City History Awards Scheme for Schools.

The Mayor of Worcester, Councillor David Clark, was at the special presentation at The Guildhall yesterday when youngsters from the Alice Ottley Junior School and Bishop Perowne High School received their awards.

Worcester City Museum and Art Gallery runs the annual local history competition, which was set up in 1991.

Sponsored by npower since 1998, this year's prize winners were Amelia Partridge, Iona Edwards and Alice Lloyd of The Alice Ottley Junior School, who submitted projects on Berrow's Worcester Journal and Sir Edward Elgar for the junior class competition.

Bishop Perowne High School winners were Eve Curtis, Becky Day and Alex Bradbury, whose topics on the cinemas of Worcester, Claines Church and Worcester At Play won prizes in the intermediate class.

"Projects are accepted from individuals as well as submissions from schools for a chance to win big cash prizes," said a spokesman for the competition.