MALVERN'S Young Writer of the Year for 2005 is Kate Ennis, 15, of St James's School in West Malvern.

She won the competition, arranged by Malvern Writers' Circle, with her story Trouble with the Natives, which also won the Tony Grounds Memorial Award.

Last year, Kate was one of the winners of the Malvern Gazette's Young Reporter competition.

The story was described by the judge, novelist Graham Garner, as clever, thoughtful, imaginative and well-written.

The award ceremony was on Friday, April 29, at St Edmund's Hall, Malvern College.

The competition proved popular, with well over 100 entries. Mr Gardner and fellow judge, poet Michael Wyndham Thomas, faced a difficult task.

Winner of the Beacon Books short story and prose award was Ben Harwood, of Hanley Castle High School, for his monologue Reality.

Runners-up were George Hynds and Sophia Godsland, while Gabriella Grandi, Sarah Robertson, Susanna Byers and Mikey Wilks were commended.

For poetry, Patrick Wildin, of Malvern College, was the winner in the 16-19 age group withThe Party, and Emma Hobday, of St James's, won in the 13-15 age group with Boiling Angry Beef.

Runners-up were Matthew Tighe and Sophia Merideth. Alison Loveday, Kate Wallwork, Ryan Atkinson, Helen Kidwell, Hannah Johnson, Alice-Rose Holland and Claire Ziegler received commendations.