CREATIVE children have been taking part in a competition to design a Christmas card for a community beat officer.

PC Keith Todd, beat officer for Sedgefield, runs the competition at one of three primary schools in his area every year.

The winning card goes into production and is sent to members of the Royal family, Prime Minister Tony Blair and other dignitaries.

PC Todd said: "It's the eighth year we have run the competition. Every year, we move between Sedgefield Hardwick Primary School, Rectory Road Primary School and Fishburn Primary School.

"We always get a local company to sponsor the event and this year it was UPS and Sedgefield Hardwick's turn to enter.

"It's a way to get to know the children in the community and it really does work. I'm always getting stopped by children who have entered and they're always saying hello.

"And some of the children who entered the early competitions, from the comprehensive, are becoming young adults now so they have grown up knowing their local bobby, which is great."

The overall winner of this year's competition was Kelly Dobson, aged ten.