SPEAKING in front of a crowded room can fill many with dread.

But a group of youngsters handled the pressure to compete in an annual speaking contest.

Seven teams from four schools spoke in the packed Fareham Council Chamber for the Fareham schools public speaking competition, the Fareham Rotary Youth Speaks 2013.

Judges were the Mayor Councillor Steadman, Heather Carling and the president of the Fareham Meon Club Graham Lawrence.

Neville Lovett Team B triumphed in the senior section with their thoughtful speech entitled ‘Has our society become a soap opera of conflict?’ and West Hill Park Team A won the intermediate section with the topic ‘Living in a plastic world’.