TALENTED young writers from throughout Somerset and Devon were recognised for their skills at a presentation evening in Taunton last week.

The Brunner Creative Writing Competition has been organised by Richard Huish College for the last 12 years, and this year featured a record number of partner schools.

Pupils from Bishop Fox's Community School, The Castle School, Heathfield Community School and St Augustine of Canterbury School, all in Taunton, took part in a separate competition section alongside others from Uffculme School, Devon, Kingsmead Community School, Wiveliscombe, and Haygrove School, Bridgwater.

All students were given a choice of five single-word titles and produced work which the judges labelled the best in the competition's history.

External judge Vanessa Garside, a retired English teacher and a creative writing tutor for 33 years, commended all the students on the crafting, polish, sophistication and variety of their writing.

The partner schools competition was won by Nick Burbach, from Heathfield, who produced a witty take on the title Endgame. Beth Colquhoun, from Bishop Fox's, was runner-up.

As reported in last week's County Gazette, the winner of the Brunner Cup for creative writing for 2007 was Dominic Lucas, a Richard Huish student who tragically died at his home on October 22.

His interpretation of the title Treasure was described as gentle, evocative and reflective. Phoebe Nicholson's poem on the same title was runner-up.