ELLIE the NTL bear has brought some half-term happiness to an eight-year-old girl in Middlesbrough.

Victoria Trainer was presented with a competition prize as part of North Ormesby's Pavilion Project Out of School Club.

She produced the winning picture in an art contest to win £250 worth of high street vouchers for the club, and a book token, a Discovery Kids inflatable chair and rucksack for herself.

Victoria, a pupil at North Ormesby Primary School, scooped the prize by drawing a picture of herself watching the digital TV service.

Playscheme manager Nick Welch said: "She was absolutely thrilled to bits and so were all the other children. We haven't decided yet what to buy with the vouchers but I'm sure the children will come up with plenty of good ideas."

The competition was included in a fun pack that was distributed to out of school and holiday clubs in the Teesside area last year.

Peter Wilcock, managing director for NTL Home in the North-East, said: "Congratulations to Victoria on her super picture, which will soon be taking pride of place on the wall of my office."