She said: "I discovered poetry after we had to study it at school for our GCSE English course and I discovered Benjamin Zephaniah. His poetry was my inspiration to attempt writing some myself and his poem, Dis Poetry, is my favourite poem."

Her winning poem, Where I'm From, is a bold take on the issue of race and identity in modern Britain and the absurdity of judging people simply by the colour of their skin.

In the poem she talks about the different colours that contribute to her own sense of identity from the black of her skin to the red and white of her brother's football shirt, an equally potent source of identity and difference she believes.

The competition is for 11 to 17-year-olds and the winners receive a place on a course at the Lumb Bank Arvon Centre, in West Yorkshire, which works with young people aged between ten and 18.

ARTICLE : HARROWTIMES.CO.UK