RADIO Warrington has announced the winner of its 2018 poetry competition.

After receiving more than 50 entries, Jennie Radley, 82, from Cranborne Avenue in Lower Walton was crowned the winner.

Jennie is a member of the Warrington U3A poetry group and was delighted to hear her poem had been selected as the overall winner.

She said: "It was such a pleasant surprise.

"I submitted it because a number of my friends had asked me for a copy after I had read it to them.

"I thought if they liked it, the judges might too."

The judging panel comprised of Andy Green, Brian Spooner and Karen Stanley who present Radio Warrington's culture show and Stan Smith, professor emeritus in English at Nottingham Trent University.

Andy Green said: "There’s a lot of writing talent in Warrington and we at Radio Warrington wanted to do something to showcase it.

"The response to the competition was amazing, so much so we found it really difficult to select our top three.

"In the end we had to create a shortlist of 16 and take another week of deliberations.

"In the end I think we found a worthy winner.”

Jennie’s prize included a £35 afternoon tea for two voucher for Shelly’s Restaurant in Bold Street, courtesy of the competition’s main sponsor Michele Butterworth, plus a £20 book voucher donated by Waterstones, a Parker pen and a notebook courtesy of Fair 4 All on Warrington Market.

The second placed poem, ‘I Also Swerve’ by John Farquhar, and third placed poem, ‘Light’ by Roy Smith, each won a £10 book voucher.