A YORK youngster has won a Blue Peter competition to carry the baton for the Commonwealth Games.

Victoria Myers, 11, of Lockhouse Lane, Earswick, will carry the commonwealth baton for 500 yards around York this July. This will be on day 31 of a 50-day relay race ending in Manchester involving 5,000 runners in 500 towns.

The baton will be on the move from seven in the morning to seven at night all over Britain.

A year seven pupil at Huntington School, York, Victoria had to know there were 54 countries in the commonwealth to win the prize.

Victoria said: "It is absolutely amazing. It was wonderful to get the news that I had won. I have entered lots of Blue Peter competitions before and didn't expect to win this time."

Her mother, Janet Myers, added: "I am very proud. There must have been thousands of entrants."

The prize also includes a Commonwealth games pin and a cuddly mascot.

One Blue Peter viewer will take the baton into the stadium on July 25, the opening day of the games.

Updated: 08:53 Monday, February 18, 2002