Two writers from the Wells area have won the Beat the Virus Blues writing competition set up in lockdown by a local council.

St Cuthbert (Out) Parish Council, which serves all the villages around Wells, suggested a starter phrase inviting writers to take readers on a journey.

The adult prize was won by Margaret Haslam of Campkin Road, Wells, for her story A Timeless Love.

Margaret took up writing in later life, some time after she and late husband Barry moved on from running the former Miners' Arms pub near Priddy.

After joining a writing group while living in Westbury-sub-Mendip, Margaret went on to win prizes at literary festivals and is currently a short-listing judge with the Wells Festival of Literature.

Winner of the junior prize was Ailish Tyerman, aged eight, of Dinder. Her story, Lilly The Vampire's Daughter, was originally written for the BBC Radio's 500 Words writing contest but mum, Tanya, said it was posted just too late to meet the deadline.

"Ailish is over the moon to have won," said Tanya.

"She's a voracious reader and loves telling and writing her own stories."

Her school, St Joseph and St Teresa's in Wells, support her and other pupils to develop their creative writing talents.

The competition judges were impressed by the range and quality of the entries, and the council would like to thank all those who took part.

The winners have been awarded £25 book tokens as prizes. The winning stories can be read on the St Cuthbert (Out) Parish Council website.

St Cuthbert (Out) Parish Council serves 11 villages around Wells and neighbouring hamlets. They are South, West and East Horrington, Dinder, Dulcote, Coxley, Polsham, Burcott, Wookey Hole, Easton and Green Ore, south west of the B3151.