TWO college students are set to become published authors after their success in a national writing competition.

Barton Peveril Sixth Form College students, Anna Balson and Jade Effemey were among a select few students to be selected as winners of the Young Writers' Competition 2021.

The pair were picked among hundreds of other entries and are now due to have their work published in the competition's annual anthology.

Both joined the Eastleigh-based college from Noadswood School and heard about the competition through the College’s English Extension enrichment activity.

Balsom’s poem ‘Thinking Back on Snap Decisions’ and Effemey’s poem ‘Getting Me Back’ will now be published in this year’s anthology.

Anna Balsom said: "I entered the competition because I thought it was a really cool way to have a go at writing something for a wider audience.

"I am very happy that I was chosen to be published and am supper grateful to have this opportunity."

The Young Writers Competition asks 11-18 year-old students across the country to enter a thought-provoking piece of poetry.

This year’s competition was titled ‘Empowerment’ and tasked students with exploring the concept of choices in their work.

Jade Effemey added: "I entered the competition because I wanted to challenge myself by writing on a theme of empowerment.

"Knowing I was chosen to be published makes me feel validated and secure in my poetry and excited for new opportunities to come."