GIFTED young writers from the Dorchester area have been recognised for their outstanding talents.

Maiden Castle Farm hosted a special ceremony to celebrate the winners of the Dorchester Gifted and Talented Spring Writing Competition.

The contest was organised by the Dorchester Area Schools Partnership (DASP) and was open to all pupils in key stages one, two and three from schools across the area.

To enter, youngsters had to write a poem on the theme of spring, with each key stage being given a different visual stimulus.

The top prizes were claimed by Ella Fernandez from Milborne St Andrew First School at key stage one level, Madeline Dipple from St Mary’s Middle School in Puddletown won the key stage two award and the key stage three winner was Alex Wood, from St Mary’s Middle School.

The poetic trio visited the farm on the outskirts of Dorchester to receive their certificates and meet the newborn lambs.

Chairman of the DASP Gifted and Talented Co-ordinators Group, Gary Spracklen, said: “As a group we wanted to engage all our learners across the partnership in a competition that would inspire writing.

“We were delighted by the response from pupils and were very impressed with the quality of the poetry.”

The job of selecting the winning poem in each category was given to Year 13 pupils at The Thomas Hardye Sixth Form.

Mr Spracklen said: “Having pupils from Thomas Hardye Sixth Form involved in the judging shows how this competition has involved pupils at every level and highlights the strong links we have as a partnership.

“The DASP Gifted and Talented Co-ordinators Group would like to thank all pupils who took part in the competition and the Hoskins family of Maiden Castle Farm for hosting the special awards ceremony.”

Here is a full list of finalists:

Key stage one: Ella Fernandez, Year Two Milborne St Andrew First School, Emiliea Furneaux, Year Two Damers First School, Indira Banks, Year One Damers First School, Lucy Andrews, Year Two Sunninghill Prep, Phoebe Whalley, Year One Damers First School.

Key stage two finalists: Madeline Dipple, Year Five St Mary’s Middle School, Samuel Edmunds, Year Four Broadmayne First School, Kiera Taylor, Year Six Dorchester Middle School, Georgia Staal, Year Three Sunninghill Prep, Alice King, Year Four Manor Park First School.

Key stage three finalists: Alex Wood, Year Eight St Mary’s Middle School, Kate Mercedes Maitland-Gleed, Year Eight St Mary’s Middle School, Georgia Dean, Year Eight St Mary’s Middle School, Katie Bagg, Year Eight St Mary’s Middle School, Lottie Gaffney, Year Eight St Mary’s Middle School.