A GIRL’S monstrous idea has made her the winner of a competition to create a character in a children’s book series.

Ellie Tweddle, 11, of Polam Hall School, Darlington, won the competition, in which youngsters were asked to think of characters for the Monstrous Morals series.

The books, written by Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo and illustrated by David Wright, were launched at Christmas.

The books are a fun and educational way of getting important messages across to children about bad habits, such as not brushing their teeth and failing to tidy their bedrooms.

The first book is called Fartin’ Martin Sidebottom, the Boy Who Couldn’t Stop Breaking Wind. In it, Martin joins the village brass band, playing his musical bottom.

But the band turns out to be conducted by the devil, who whips up an evil wind to teach Martin a lesson about being polite.

Ellie, who lives in Darlington, came up with the character of Repeater Peter, who cannot stop burping and is attacked by giant burping frogs. She won a caricature of herself by Mr Wright and a Waterstone’s voucher.

Mr Barron said: “I love Ellie’s idea. It is funny and scary and it will be turned into one of the books one day.”