A SCHOOLGIRL has presented the Deputy Mayor of Vale Royal Doug Shingler with a wooden hand carving depicting a basket of Fairtrade goods, during a reception at Wyvern House.

Emma Pyatt, 10, a pupil at St Lukes RC Primary School in Frodsham, was the winner of a competition, launched by the council in May to design a sculpture to celebrate the borough gaining Fairtrade status.

The winning design was chosen from over 250 entries sent in by schoolchildren from across the borough.

Cllr Mark Stocks (environmental policy) said: 'Judging by the quality of the entries we saw there are some very imaginative and talented artists in Vale Royal.

'We had a very difficult time picking a winner, but we choose Emma's design because it demonstrated the variety of exciting Fairtrade products we can buy in the borough.'

The sculpture was carved by renowned local artist, Paul Noon in the council's show garden, 'Fairtrade -A Journey to Poverty', at the Royal Horticultural Show at Tatton.

The sculpture will be on display to the public at Wyvern House after it is displayed at Emma's school.

As well as winning £50 worth of art equipment for herself, Emma also won her classmates the opportunity to work with Paul Noon on a carving to be placed in the school's grounds.