THE imminent arrival of spectacular tall ships at Blyth this weekend has inspired two Tynedale writers to success.

Corbridge grandmother Christine Lowes has won the county-wide Tall Ships Regatta poetry competition.

And Haydon Bridge Schoolgirl Ciara Moor (10) has won the children’s category.

Both were up against around 100 competitors in their respective categories of the Ship Shape contest, which aimed to celebrate the regatta by using the sea, ships and seafaring as an inspirational theme.

Christine (72) a member of Hexham Writers’ Group for 30 years, earned top spot with her elegant poem, The Fleet.

She said: “I have a compulsion to write, and therefore I write most days.

“I take my inspiration from landscape and everyday life, and I love to take a holiday by the sea. It’s a real honour to win this award.”

For Ciara, the children’s prize was the perfect way to celebrate her 10th birthday this week.

Her entry, Picnic at the Beach , takes readers on a virtual day out at the seaside.

The Year 6 pupil at Haydon Bridge’s Shaftoe Trust Primary School, is also a keen story writer, who can also play ukulele and keyboard.

She said: “I have been inspired by caravanning holidays at Whitby, and I enjoy writing about the sights and sounds of the seaside. It feels really great to have won.”

Entries were judged by John Challis, who was Blyth Library’s poet in residence as part of the Northern Poetry Library Project.

John said: “It was a very close call, but in the end I had to go for the poems which I felt were the most original, technically accomplished, and which contained a certain image or music which I found special.”

This weekend’s regatta is being hosted by Northumberland County Council, in partnership with the Port of Blyth, and Sail Training International.