Two Falmouth-based professional writers are offering local children the chance to learn the skills of their trade at a special workshop next month.

Emily Barr, a bestselling author of 11 novels, has teamed up with Craig Green, author of the award-winning Clickety Books series, to set up Barrington Green – an organisation that provides writing workshops for children.

Ten places on the initial workshop are up for grabs for the children aged between eight and 12 who can produce the most striking examples of written work about Falmouth.

Emily said: “They can write whatever they like, a story set in Falmouth, a poem, or even a script.

“The only rule is that it must be less than 500 words long.”

The workshop has been set up in conjunction with Falmouth Town Council, and will provide an insight for the children into many different types of writing.

Craig said: “We’ll be giving them the chance to try scriptwriting, poetry, letter-writing and even to start a novel.

“More than that, though, we will be firing up their imaginations, sharing our professional experience, and giving them the confidence to see themselves as writers.

The workshop on May 1 will be held in the Council Chamber above the library, from 4 to 5pm, and will be followed in August by an intensive summer school.

Falmouth town clerk Mark Williams added: “The town council is delighted to be hosting these workshops and getting the children of Falmouth enthused about writing.

“Literacy is vitally important for all children, and these workshops will give them something new and exciting to aim for.”

To enter the competition, parents and carers can email their children’s work (as an attachment, or scanned) to competition@barringtongreen.co.uk.

Include full name, address and contact details on the email. The 10 winners will be announced on April 20.

The Barrington Green intensive summer workshop runs from August 6 to 10. Places will be limited. Contact writers@barringtongreen.co.uk for details.