TIME is running out for young poets in Tenbury and the surrounding area to show off their skills.

Poetry is a form of creative writing that is often put to the back of the queue but can create some of the finest literature and encourage young people to enjoy working with words.

It is the second year now of the Children’s Poetry Competition - and many more schools are now involved.

“We are planning a much bigger prize giving event in The Regal this year on September 7 as more children are likely to enter,” said the organiser Tina Cole.

“Workshops in schools are still taking place.”

Tine Cole said that the number of children and young people taking part last year had been very encouraging and that it showed that interest is high.

The competition is open to any young person of primary or secondary age living near to Tenbury Wells, and will be judged by local poets in two age categories:

These are Primary: 7-11 years (Year Groups 3,4,5 and 6)

Secondary:12 – 17 years (Year Groups 7,8,9,10 and 11)

Winners and runners up in each age category will receive cash prizes: Winner: £50 - Runners up: £20

In addition, there will be a group of commended poems and all these will receive a book of poetry.

The competition closes on June 29.

The winning poems and both runners up will be invited to a gala evening to read their poems at a presentation evening on Saturday, September 7 in The Regal Cinema when it is hoped the venue will be full.

Poems can be in any poetry style, and on any theme.

They do not have to rhyme but should contain ‘interesting’ language and ideas.

Poems should be a maximum of 40 lines and short poems will be viewed just as favourably as long ones.

This year the competition has a link to the Tenbury

Music Festival .

There will be spoken word events including professional poets and young people from local schools performing poetry that has arisen from workshops.

To enter visit poetryintenbury.org for information and entry forms and much more about how to write a great poem.

Last year all poems were collated onto a book and copies can be found on Amazon under the heading 'Tenbury Wells Young Peoples Poetry Competition 2017'.