THESE budding reporters have shone in the Evening Press's exciting competition to track down new journalistic talent.

They are the finalists in the contest we launched on this page earlier this year, and they are vying for the chance to become an Evening Press trainee reporter.

The team impressed the judges in a gruelling day of journalistic challenges set for them at the Evening Press offices. They had to undertake a spelling test, demonstrate good local knowledge, attend a mock press conference and write up the resulting crime story, and go out into York and find a scoop for the paper. Our judges are now narrowing down the list of finalists into a shortlist of three who will be invited back for interviews.

News Editor Francine Clee said: "Our decision will not be an easy one. These candidates have shown they are a talented bunch and we expect our winner will be a really outstanding new journalist."

Updated: 11:18 Wednesday, June 26, 2002