A TEENAGER from Hook has won a writing competition and met a Radio 1 presenter to pick up her prize.

Imogen Usherwood won in the 18-25 category of the 2018 Wicked Young Writer Awards, which were held with the backing of the National Literacy Trust.

She was presented with an award by Radio 1 presenter Greg James at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre, home of the musical Wicked, in a ceremony with all the other 117 shortlisted finalists and their families and teachers on June 21.

This is the eighth year for the awards, which were judged by former secretary of state for children, schools and families Ed Balls, writer and first Young People’s Laureate for London, Caleb Femi, among several others.

Head judge for the fourth year in a row was Cressida Cowell, the author and illustrator of the How to Train Your Dragon book series.

Imogen said: “I was completely overwhelmed when I found out that I had won. I didn’t think that I would even be shortlisted, so I couldn’t believe it when my name was read out. It was really cool and exciting to meet the judges, especially Cressida Cowell.”

Writing has been a passion of the 18-year-old for a long time. Imogen added: “I’ve been into writing for as long as I can remember, and winning this award has given me the confidence to show that I can do it, and that is so great.

“I’ve just got notebooks full of ideas at home that I hope to write more someday.”

Imogen took some time out of revising for her A-levels at Farnborough Hill Sixth Form to go to the event. She hopes to go to Durham University to study English literature.

Imogen’s winning story, called Last Chance, was about a teenage boy living with his controlling grandmother who wants to go and study at university, but has to apply in secret as his grandmother tries to stop him.

As a part of winning, Imogen will be having an exclusive writing experience with one of the award’s literacy partners, and a self-publishing package from Spiderwize, to self-publish her work.