TWO schoolchildren have sketched their way into the history of one of the region's most prominent cathedrals after winning a gargoyle design competition.

More than 1,000 schoolchildren from across North Yorkshire entered the competition to design a new gargoyle for Ripon Cathedral and the winners were Rachael Ogier, aged ten, from Moorside Junior School in Ripon and Hayden Horsfall, also ten, from Pickering Community Junior School.

The youngsters will now work alongside architects and stone carvers to see their ideas brought to fruition and placed on the historic building for centuries to come.

The competition was run as part of a repair project currently being undertaken in the north east corner of the cathedral - where worn out stonework and crumbling gargoyles are being replaced.

Cathedral architect Oliver Caroe and two expert stone carvers were amongst the judges who selected ten finalists whose gargoyle designs were then put on display in the cathedral and members of the public invited to cast their votes.

Ripon Cathedral’s director of operations Julia Barker said: “We had such a fantastic response and we are pleased to be working with two schools in the production of these gargoyles which will be here for many generations to come.

"It’s something not just for them but hopefully for their children and grandchildren.”

Gargoyles were traditionally used to help ward off evil spirits and show that within the church you were protected from evil.

The vital work to replace the figures and other historic stonework is being funded by the First World War Centenary Cathedral Repairs Fund.