YOUNGSTERS at schools across Teesside were yesterday rewarded for their ideas to improve the dull image of water in an art and literacy competition.

The pupils, aged nine to 11, produced stories, poems and artwork for the competition, which was run by the Drinking Water Inspectorate and Northumbrian Water.

Many of the children wrote stories and poems about how easily they can enjoy drinking water in their homes, while children in many other countries have to walk miles each day to find water.

Faye Todd, from Norton Primary School, Norton, won first prize in the arts section and David Saddington, from The Glebe Primary School, Stockton, won first prize in the literacy section.

They received their prizes, of a £100 voucher and an activity day at Kielder Water for their class, at a ceremony at the North Stockton Community Education Action Zone Centre in Norton.

They will now go forward to compete for the national prize of becoming a delegate to an international water conference in Stockholm.

Pam Lovell, communications advisor for Northumbrian Water, said: "We were very impressed with the care and effort the children put into their work and it made it difficult to choose the winners.