AN Appleton schoolboy could be gracing the stage with the country’s literary heavyweights after reaching the final of a story writing competition.

Nine-year-old Jacob Atkin has reached the final 25 of BBC Radio 2’s 500 words competition, which asked children under 13 to write a fictional story limited to 500 words.

More than 100,000 children entered the competition but the Broomfields Junior School pupil’s story of Steve the Criminal Banana helped him get shortlisted.

And he will get to watch the live recording of Padgate’s own star Chris Evans’ Radio 2 Breakfast show tomorrow, Friday at the Hay-on-Wye literary festival where the three category winners will be announced.

Jacob’s story tells the tale of Rupert Nice, a crime-solving young boy from a town in northern Switzerland, who figures out the identity of a mysterious burglar who keeps evading the investigations of the police – a criminal banana.

Jacob said he ‘thought a banana was the funniest thing a robber could be’ adding his inspiration for writing the story were the stories his class listen to.

He added: “I love reading and I like stories that make you laugh.”

If Jacob wins a medal his story will be brought to life by a celebrity reader and if it’s gold he will win a stack of books as tall as the 6ft 2in presenter. If Jacob comes second then he will win 5ft 6in of books to match the height of One Show presenter Alex Jones and if he’s third he will win his own height in books.

Bridie Newlands, Jacob’s class teacher and the school librarian, said: “It’s a tremendous achievement, it’s all his own work and he’s only nine.

“I’m amazed, the whole school is supporting him now and we hope he wins a medal.”