THE festive season has come early for young Danielle Winskill - she has won a competition to design a Christmas card.

Her design is now appearing on signs at 35 Shepherd Construction sites across the country, as well as on the company's corporate Christmas card.

The company, from York, organised a contest in which children were asked to design a Christmas card with a theme revolving around safety in construction.

Nine-year-old Danielle, a pupil at Lord Deramore's Primary School, in Heslington, was one of many children who took part, and she was chosen as the national winner from four regional finalists.

As well as being presented with prizes, she was also invited to Newcastle to join the city's Lord Mayor, Councillor John Marshall, and the Lady Mayoress, Mrs Audrey Marshall, in switching on the festive lights at a landmark building, Swan House, which is being re-developed by Shepherd in a £13 million project to provide contemporary apartments.