A POETRY competition has been launched in Chester-le-Street to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

The idea is to get as many primary school children in the district as possible to write and illustrate a poem to the theme of What I would Do I If Were Made King or Queen.

The poems must be written in ink on a sheet of A4 paper, but the illustrations can be in any medium.

Prizes will be awarded for the most imaginative and well-illustrated poems and will be displayed in a week-long exhibition at The Riverside Pavilion.

There are two age categories, for five to seven-year-olds and eight to 11-year-olds. Prizes in both categories are: first prize, £30 in book tokens, runners-up £10 in book tokens. Both winners and runners-up will receive two tickets for UCI cinemas.

All entries must be labelled on the back with the writer's name, address, telephone number and the name of the school. Entries must be received at the Riverside Pavilion by 4pm on Friday, May 24. Prizes will be awarded on May 31.

Entries should be sent to Jubilee Poetry Competition, The Riverside Pavilion, Riverside South, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, DH3 3SJ. For details call 0191-389 0986.