A CREATIVE schoolgirl shared the spotlight with a popular children’s author after she was one of the winners of a writing competition.

Ten-year-old Amy Jewell, who attends Burnham Copse Primary School, in Newchurch Road, Tadley, got to meet popular author Dame Jacqueline Wilson at an awards evening in London after she was one of six winners of the Henrietta Branford competition.

As part of the competition, entrants were given an opening paragraph of text and were required to complete the story in 1,500 words.

Amy’s story features two young boys who fall through a set of floorboards in an old house and find an old toy workshop.

The two boys then meet a friendly ghost, called Tom, before going back home and thinking their adventure was all a dream.

On the following day, the boys are horrified when they experience a déjà vu and are asked by their teacher to look after a new pupil called Tom.

For being one of the winners, Amy, who lives with parents Michael and Tina and her 12-year-old sister Emily in Hartleys, in Silchester, was invited to a star-studded awards ceremony in London, which was attended by editors, publishers and other professionals.

Proud mum Tina told The Gazette: “We are so chuffed. She just loves writing. When I found out she was one of the winners, I started crying and rushed off to her school to tell her because she was playing rounders. She was bouncing off the walls and her teachers were very pleased with her.”

In addition to meeting Dame Jacqueline, Amy was given a copy of each of the stories which were shortlisted in the competition.