A CREATIVE youngster is to make a lasting impression on her school after winning a design competition.

Katherine Ashton, 11, won a competition to design a panel which will form part of new gates at Sedgefield Primary School, in Rectory Row.

The competition was organised by Harlequin Developments, which is building four houses on land next to the school.

As part of the development, Harlequin is building a road with a footpath to the school entrance and is creating a set of gates.

The competition attracted entries from throughout the school, but Katherine's was chosen as the outstanding design.

Harlequin's Peter Wray said: "It was really agonising going through the entries, because they were all so good. But the winning entry stood out by a mile. It was really eye-catching."

Katherine was presented with an Apollo Charm mountain bike for her design, featuring two children and the school's name. Runners-up Rhiannan Coates and Lewis Neasham both received £20 gift vouchers.

The design will feature in the gate in time for the new school year.

Katherine will have started secondary school by then, but her design will be seen by thousands of children for years to come.