PUPILS from schools around Hartlepool painted the town red - and many other colours - as they took part in a national competition.

Youngsters competed in one of the regional heats of the 2005 Children's Calendar Painting Competition run by Britain in Bloom.

The winners will receive certificates today and first prize winners in each category will go on to represent the town in the regional finals of the competition in Newcastle next month.

Hartlepool Council cabinet member, Councillor Robbie Payne, who will present the prizes, said: "All the young people who took part put a lot of effort into their paintings and came up with some great designs."

The Hartlepool winners are: up to and including six-year-olds - first: Lewis Higham (aged six), of Rift House Primary School; second: Keaton Bentham (four), of Greatham Primary School; third: Sophie Reed (five), of Sacred Heart Primary School; fourth: Megan Smart (five), of Elwick Primary School. Seven and eight-year-olds - first: Mollie Nicholls (eight), of Sacred Heart Primary School; second: Jerome Duncan (eight), of Rift House Primary School; third: Thomas Harle (seven), of Rift House Primary School; fourth: Karrie Cardwell (eight), of Greatham Primary School. Nine and ten-year-olds - first: Jade Lawrence (ten), of Sacred Heart Primary School; second: Charlotte Coggin (ten), of Scared Heart Primary School; third: Lucy Pitt (ten), of Rift House Primary School; fourth: Olivia Jackson (nine), of Greatham Primary School. Eleven to 13-year-olds - first: Suzanne Lithgo (11), of Sacred Heart Primary School; second: Stewart Brown (13), of Manor College of Technology; third: Kate McCaffery (11), of St Aidan's Primary School; fourth: Lewis Winton (11), of Rift House Primary School. 14 to 18-year-olds - first: Jason Bridgewater (14), of Manor College of Technology; second: Jennifer McPartlin (13), of Manor College of Technology; third: Collette Weatherill (14), of Manor College of Technology; fourth: Charlotte Walker (14), of Manor College of Technology. Special schools up to 12 years old - first: Caitlin Bell (four), of Springwell School; second: Mark Swales (nine), of Springwell School; third: Tiffany Partington (11), of Springwell School; fourth: Adam Hand (11), of Springwell School. Chairman's Special Prize - Sophie Hornsey (11), of Sacred Heart Primary School; Ellie Thirkell (nine), of Scared Heart Primary School; Alison Hughes (ten), of Sacred Heart Primary School.