ENTRIES are now being taken for this year's Christopher Salmon poetry competition.

Launched by The Christopher Salmon Foundation in partnership with Wirral Poetry Festival and Wirral Libraries, it is open to budding poets aged 19 years and under, living or being educated in Wirral.

The theme is 'Friendship' and the closing date is May 28.

Entry is free and a £100 prize will be awarded to the winner in each of five age categories.

For full details visit https://wirralpoetryfestival.org.uk/christophersalmon/

It began in 2010 as a tribute to Calday Grammar School student Christopher who lost his life to a rare streptococcal infection in February 2009 aged just 15.

After he passed away, his parents discovered a sheaf of poems he had written and hidden away in his room.

This gave them the idea to launch a poetry competition in his name in order to encourage other young people to express themselves, with confidence, through the medium of poetry.

The Foundation has so far raised more than £66,000 in Christopher's memory.

Further details are from www.chrissalmon.org.uk