THE judges in a short story competition launched in the North-East at the start of the year have drawn up a shortlist.

Organised by Darlington-based Inscribe Media Ltd and backed by The Northern Echo, Orange and Darlington Arts Centre, The Short Story Competition attracted 535 entries from around the UK, and some from abroad.

Fourteen stories have been shortlisted and the judging panel of writers Peter Mortimer, from Cullercoats, North Tyneside, Wendy Robertson, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, and Stan Dean, of Darlington, retired County Durham chief librarian, hope to make a final decision by the middle of next month.

The first prize is £300 and a two-night trip to the presentation of the Orange Prize for Fiction, in London, on June 8, available to any entrant living in Britain.

* www.theshortstory.co.uk