YOUNGSTERS are using their artistic skills to help celebrate local nature reserves.

Separate creative writing and photography competitions for seven to 12-year-olds have been organised by Hartlepool Council as part of Local Nature Reserves (LNR) Week, next month.

The creative writing competition brief is to produce a poem, inspirational thought or something similar to describe one or more of the town's six nature reserves. Youngsters can also chose to capture the magic of the reserves on camera.

The council's LNR officer, Joe Davies, said: "Last year, we held a similar competition, to design a poster promoting our LNRs, and the standard of the entries was very high. Hopefully, we will get the same response this year. We intend to use some of the work that is submitted to actively promote the LNRs in the future."

The writing competition offers a £50 gift voucher as a first prize, while the winner of the photography competition will receive a digital camera.

Local Nature Reserve Week begins on July 16. Entries can be handed in at the town's Asda store or posted to: Local Nature Reserves Officer, c/o Gatehouse, Power Station, Tees Road, Hartlepool TS25 2BZ. The closing date is July 31. For more information about the competitions and events taking place during Local Nature Reserves Week, call Mr Davies on (01429) 853325.