A library in the region will be the venue for one of the workshops staged as part of the short story competition run through The Northern Echo.

Pickering Library at Pickering Community Resource Centre, in North Yorkshire, will host a free two-hour writing workshop for adult writers on Thursday, May 4.

Darlington writer John Dean will discuss some of the techniques behind writing a successful short story and anyone interested in attending is asked to contact Janet Gavigan at Pickering Community Resource Centre on 0845 300 5157.

The competition, Orange New Voices, for which the main sponsor is telecommunications company Orange, has three categories.

First prize in the adult category is £600, with second and third prizes of £250 and £150 respectively.

Stories in the junior category must be no more than 2,000 words. The winner will receive £300, with prizes of £150 and £100 for second and third place respectively, as well as book tokens from Darlington bookstore Ottakar's. Entrants must be aged between 11 and 16.

The new category this year is for writers aged 16 or over who are asked to produce a story of no more than 2,000 words for children aged eight and under. First prize is £600, with second and third prizes of £250 and £150.

The closing date is May 31. Details of rules and conditions are available on The Northern Echo website at www.theshortstory.co.uk or by sending a stamped, addressed envelope to John Dean, The Northern Echo Newsdesk, PO Box 14, Darlington, County Durham DL1 1NF.