BEANO comic artists are to teach an 11-year-old cartoonist tricks of the trade.

Ben Nightingale, from Chester-le-Street, County Durham, has won the chance to work with artists from two children's comics, the Beano and the Dandy, after he submitted a cartoon strip for a competition.

Ben beat hundreds of children to win one of 15 places in the semi-finals of the Capri-Sun Search for the UK's Best Young Cartoonist, which takes place at Edinburgh Zoo on Monday.

He will be given expert tuition by illustrators from the comics at the event.

Ben's mother, Lynda, from Alpine Court, said: "He is quite excited about going. He was not expecting to win anything, he just likes drawings and cartoons. He did a character called Johnny Gizmo, who's like a gadget boy, and then just sent it off."

Four other regional workshops will be taking place across the country.

If Ben produces the best cartoon he will win the title of the UK's Best Young Cartoonist 2003. He will also see his comic strip appear in print, after watching it being prepared for the presses at the Beano and Dandy's headquarters in London. In addition, he would also win a computer with drawing software.