YOUNG poets at a North-East school have set up a magazine to showcase their talents.

The Barney Bard has been set up to tap into the poetic talents of pupils at Barnard Castle School.

The monthly magazine is being edited by 16-year-old students Bridie Cooper, Adam St Ledger-Honeybone and Rebecca Heslop and is also offering them the chance to experience the world of publishing.

Rebecca said: "The first edition went down very well with students and parents. We introduced several themes with the poems reflecting a balance of the misery of war with the happiness of summer."

Bridie, who wants to be a journalist, said: "We had just a day to put it all together. We really enjoyed coming up with the design."

Adam said: "But we also had to go through and edit all the work we were supplied with which required some tough decision making."

Deputy headmaster Oliver Marlow, said: "The Barney Bard is proving to be a really worthwhile exercise. It provides an outlet for our young poets but also real-life experience of what it is like to be a publisher. The students have risen to both challenges very well indeed."