TWO talented young writers visited the Guardian offices on Thursday to see how their favourite newspaper was put together.

Emily Whittle, aged eight, of Colorado Close, Great Sankey, and Katie Sherlock, aged nine, of Hughes Street, Latchford, were both chosen as Reporters of the Month by Scoopy the Cat, the Guardian's furry mascot.

The girls both sent copies of their work to Scoopy after seeing an appeal asking for young reporters on his special page in the paper - and he was so impressed he published their work.

Katie, a pupil at Bradshaw Lane Primary School in Grappenhall, sent in a poem she had written at school which featured colourful descriptions of wildlife in autumn.

She said: "I would like to write poetry books when I leave school because when I write it sounds really nice and you have got to make sure you get the right rhythm in the poem.

"English is my favourite lesson at school and I like writing fantasy stories."

Emily, who goes to Newton Bank Primary School in Newton-le-Willows, chose a non-fiction theme for her stories

She said: "I wrote about road safety after I saw a child peering out of a window of a car window when the car was moving.

"She wasn't wearing a seatbelt and if the car had stopped she could have banged her head."

Emily also included a story about her holiday in Morocco.

Guardian news editor Suzanne Elsworth says she is delighted that Scoopy is recruiting young reporters.

She said: "Perhaps they will work at the Guardian one day!"