YOUNG poets from York and North Yorkshire were among published winners of a national writing competition.

Lyndsay Coo, 17, of York, and Livvy Hanks, 15, of Long Marston, entered their poems for publication in Young Writer magazine, which publishes work by writers aged under 18.

Lyndsay's poem, Portrait In Red, was one of two winners of a competition asking writers to observe what was going on around them. "A small infatuation" was also published.

Livvy's poem Refugee was runner-up in the Home Competition, where young people wrote about home or homelessness.

Their winning entries won them a selection of books, and national recognition in the magazine. Kate Jones, editor of Young Writer, said: "The magazine offers young writers a platform where they can learn, experiment and get feedback from professionals and from their peers. When we can publish more than one piece around a given theme it is an inspiration to other writers who can see how you can be true to yourself and write to a brief."

Lyndsay, a pupil of The Mount School, hopes to study at Cambridge in the autumn.

For more information about Young Writer, visit www.youngwriter.org.

Updated: 08:52 Tuesday, June 03, 2003