The winners of the second Oxford Literary Festival's short story competition for children gathered at Blackwells Bookshop in Broad Street to receive their prizes on Monday.

The festival's charitable trust joined up with Oxfordshire County Council 's Primary Strategy team to run the competition for children in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The challenge was to write on the theme Elements, either as fact or fiction.

Ther competition drew nearly 500 entries, which were short listed to 75 by the Primary Strategy team before the final judging by children's author Nick Ward and Blackwells Nick Williams.

Nick Ward said: "The standard of stories and poems was so high it was very hard to choose a winner. Well done to everyone who took part."

While Nick Williams added: "I was surprised and delighted with the high standard of all entries and was particularly impressed by the work that incorporated the elements theme in an original way."

The book token prizes of £50 to each winner, £40 to second places and £20 to third place were supplied by Blackwells.

The winners were: Key Stage 1 - Joe Digges, aged seven, with Hurricane, from Horspath CofE Primary School; Theo Hornibrook , aged six, with Candle Flame, of Chadlington Primary School; Matthew Walker, aged seven, with The Elements, of Gateway Primary School.

Key Stage 2 - Sian Dempster, aged 11, with The Storm, of St Thomas More RC Primary School; Isobel Boxall, aged nine, with The Fire, of Sonning Common Primary School; and Francesa Roxburgh, aged 11, with The Wind, of Holy Trinity School.

The following children from Key Stage 2, whose writing was inspired and of a high standard, were among the final 12: Isobel Ashby-Crane, of St Amands Primary School; Rebecca Burns, of Gateway Primary School; Charlotte Carre, of Great Rollright Primary School; Bradley Wixey, of North Hinksey C of E Primary School; Connnie Lawfull, of St Nicholas' Primary School; and Martha Bagnall, of Bishop Loveday School.