TALENTED Sophie Harper came first place in a school competition to celebrate Sunderland’s new bridge.

The nine-year-old was among 20 pupils from Diamond Hall Junior School in Millfield who took part, creating a range of sculptures, models, poetry and drawings.

Sophie produced a superb series of nine different bridges from around the world – including the New Wear Crossing.

Made from a mix of collages, prints, stencils, paper mosaic, wax, paint and drawings, she even included her representation of ‘Monet’s Bridge’, as portrayed in the famous French artist’s Water Lilies series of paintings.

Sophie, from Pallion, said: “It’s been great fun learning about the New Wear Crossing and looking at bridges from all over the world. It’s really exciting and I was very proud to win the competition.”

Head teacher Kim Bennett said: "Being so close to the new bridge, we are really pleased it is helping to inspire the next generation of engineers, artists and authors."

The runners-up included Mark Anderson from Year 3 and Mark Simion from Year 6.

Michael Mordey, Sunderland City Council’s cabinet member for city services, who led the judging team, said the standard of all the work was really high.

Work on the new bridge across the Wear is making good progress with activity on site now at its peak. The cofferdam in the centre of the river, where the foundations to the bridge’s main A-frame pylon are being built, has been filled with almost 1500 cubic metres of concrete, and the first section of bridge deck is almost complete.

It will span the river between Wessington Way in Castletown and European Way in Pallion.