A YOUNG woman from Bicester has won a national award for her creative writing skills.

Kristen Hawke, 21, won a Wicked Young Writer Award in the 18-25 category for her ‘expressive story’ called ‘In Control’.

Miss Hawke attended the awards ceremony last Thursday with 200 shortlisted finalists and their families and teachers at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre, home of the award-winning musical, Wicked.

Now in its ninth year, the awards encourage young people aged 5-25 to use writing as a way of expressing themselves, producing unique and original piece of prose and poetry.

This year saw over 4,500 submissions.

After winning the award, Miss Hawke said: “'It was a great feeling. As a writer you enter these things and you hope to win, but you never expect to."

Angellica Bell. television and radio broadcaster, hosted the ceremony and prizes were presented by Head Judge, Cressida Cowell, with a panel of judges.

Judges critiqued her work saying it was 'an expressive story with understated complexity of a selfless friendship in a contemporary setting.'

Wicked cast members also performed songs from the musical at the ceremony including the much-loved 'For Good', as well as readings of the winning entries.