Luton boy wins cup in national writing competition

11-year-old Kai Gregory wowed judge Jonathan Meres, best-selling author of The World of Norm book series, with his story ‘The Beginning of the End’ to receive a cup and the accolade of being named one of the best young writers in the country.

Now in its seventh year, the competition is organised by tuition provider Explore Learning, which has a centre in Luton. The 2015 competition received around 15,000 entries from children all over the UK who were tasked with writing a 500-word story with the theme ‘Strange Events and Peculiar Happenings’.

12-year-old Alexander Boxall from Eastbourne walked away with the top prize of a trip to Disneyland Paris and £500 worth of books for his school with his story ‘That’s a Wrap’.

Jonathan Meres said: “The standard of stories has been exceptionally good, which on one hand has made for some very entertaining reading for me but on the other, has made the task of choosing just one overall winner extremely difficult.

“Well done to everyone who entered. Whatever you do, keep on writing!”