A MALPAS Alport primary school pupil is set to have her winning poem from a village competition published at the Menin Gate war memorial.

Lola Bickley, nine, was overall winner of the 'Malpas 100 Years On' poetry competition after being selected despite fierce competition.

Lola received her award at school when Sarah Worthington, head at Alport, gave her the surprise news that six Royal British Legion Riders Branch (RBLR) had arrived to take her poem to Belgium.

The whole school was excited as the motorbikes roared up the hill to the school. Lola was joined by her family and representatives of “Malpas 100 Years-On” committee and school governors when she received a trophy and poppy paraphernalia in recognition of her success from RBLR.

"When the Last Post Society in Ypres accepted RBLR application to lay a wreath, we wanted to engage with local communities to find a poignant poem to display on the wreath,” said Keith Ogden, Manchester County Representative for the Royal British Legion Riders Branch as he presented her trophy. “We put the idea to our member, Sharon Jones, working with local schools in Malpas area ‘to broaden appreciation of – Those That Gave All – for their country’ and it went down a storm. We picked out Lola’s poem as powerful and thought provoking for a child of her age.”

The poetry competition, launched in February, is part of activities leading up to a spectacular “Malpas 100 Years On” three-day-event taking place in Malpas to mark the 100-year anniversary of the Armistice.

Proud mum and dad, Sara and John Bickley with sister Megan joined in celebrations of Lola’s successful poem, which was inspired by stories shared of the family’s wartime loss of her Great Uncle James Bickley whose name is recorded on the memorial outside St Oswald’s Church.

“We are delighted with the response to our poetry competition and very impressed by the high standard. The aim was to raise awareness of what went on in wartime and the entries will be used to share an appreciation of how much was given by those who fought," said committee member Chris Whitehurst.