Author's write behind story contest

AUTHOR Alexander McCall Smith is backing a competition looking for the Capital's literary stars of the future.

The creator of the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series pledged his support to this year's Green Pencil Award, the council-run contest for school pupils.

Over 800 entries were submitted last year and the overall winner, Monica Robb from Liberton Primary School, won for her entry A Greener World.

Edinburgh-based McCall Smith said: "Given the chance, children naturally take to writing. This project combines that enthusiasm with concern over our fragile environment. I am sure the results will be very imaginative."

Councillor Marilyne MacLaren, the council's children and families leader, added: "Now in its third year, the Green Pencil competition has proven to be extremely popular and the standard of writing has been excellent. This year's nature theme I am sure will inspire the children to write imaginatively and thoughtfully.

"The importance of writing to children's education cannot be underestimated and any competition that encourages this, and which gets them thinking about environmental issues at the same time, is something that we must continue to support and promote."