A YOUNGSTER is celebrating after his majestic portrait of the Queen won him £500 worth of toy shop vouchers.

Ben Woodhead, of Newfield, near Chester-le-Street, has won The Northern Echo’s diamond jubilee competition to do a portrait of the Queen.

The youngster, of Provident Street, saw off the challenge from more than 1,000 entrants to win £500 to spend in a Smyths’ toy superstore.

His design won the section for youngsters aged between nine and 12 – and was named as the overall winner.

He said: “I was very impressed and quite surprised that I won the competition. It took me about half an hour to draw the picture but I love drawing and do it all of the time.”

His mother, Judith Carr, said: “This is the first drawing competition he has entered and it’s amazing that he won.

“He did it in coloured pencil and I’m very proud of him – over the moon for him.”

The pictures were divided into three age categories – four to eight, nine to 12, and 13 to 16.

Each category winner won a £250 Smyths Toys superstore voucher, with the overall winner getting a second £250 voucher.

The Northern Echo published many of the entries in a jubilee-themed supplement and a copy has been sent to Buckingham Palace.

Amber Hunt, six, of St George’s Academy, won the group for youngsters aged four to eight.

She designed the pastel portrait as part of a class exercise at the school in Neasham Road, Middleton St George, near Darlington.

The youngster said: “I was thinking about the Queen’s jewellery and about what she would be wearing on a special occasion.”

Claire Bentley, a teacher at the school, said: “The children looked at portraits by several different artists and then it was up to them.

“We knew there would be a lot of entries and it’s a lovely surprise that Amber has won a prize.”

Victoria Moralee, 14, of Proudfoot Drive, in Bishop Auckland, won the competition for 13 to 16-year-olds.

Her image was created during the teen’s regular visits to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, where she is receiving treatment.

She said: “I saw the Queen in York and that is where I got the idea for my drawing from.

I like to draw, but I was surprised to win the competition.”

Her father, Bernard Moralee, said: “She is very into her art. She is in and out of hospital for arthritis treatment and that’s when she draws. We’re very happy and surprised that she has done so well.”

Because we received an overwhelming number of entries we carried out a judging process and published 862 in the jubilee supplement on May 30.

To avoid any disappointment, we have published all 1,200 competition entries on our website, at northernecho/ jubilee.