SEVEN youngsters at a school near Darlington are on their way to London for the national finals of a play writing contest.

The Write Here, Write Now contest attracted more than 33,500 entries and the nine-year-olds from Croft School, near Darlington, are among the eight finalists.

Each entrant was given the start of a play, called Lost in the Game, written by Scarborough playwright Alan Ayckbourn.

The competition was to finish the play, with the young characters having returned from the situation in which Ayckbourn left them.

Kirsty Roche, twins Mark and Andrew Taylor, Rose Hiles, Edward Wise, Rebecca Veerman and Emily Leggott took part in the contest for Croft School.

Teacher Jenny Huddleston said: "These children cooperated well together, they listened to each other and their ideas."

Former Children's BBC "Broom Cupboard" presenter Richard McCourt will present the awards at the final at the British Museum on November 29.

As regional winners in the Yorkshire and Humberside heat, the school has already won a theatre trip in its area, £100 of CD Roms and £100 of book tokens.