A great-grandmother was totally surprised to learn she had won the annual Headington Poetry Competition with a poem she wrote 68 years ago.

Great-grandmother Felicia Roper, 85, penned On the Passing of the Fields Between Headington and Quarry in October 1935, aged 17.

The poem described how fields between Headington and Quarry were turned into housing estates.

The retired nurse, who has three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, said: "I was completely surprised when they told me I had won.

"The only other poem I wrote was in the 1950s, and that was about elephants. I will try to write another one for next year's competition."

The second prize winner in the 2003 contest was Mary Parke, 80, and third was Belinda Landon, 51. Both live in Kennett Road, Headington.

First prize winner in the children's section of the contest was Poppy Hatrick, 10, a pupil at Rye St Anthony School. Second was Reshma Bharamgoudar, nine, a pupil at St Andrew's School, Headington, and third was Kathryn Hampshire, also a pupil at Rye St Anthony School.

Prizes and certificates will be presented by Oxford's Lord Mayor Pat Stannard at the Headington Sunday Funday.

Winners will get a framed certificate, signed by judge Bernard O'Donoghue, who is a poet and a fellow of Oxford University's Wadham College. They will also receive a booklet featuring the winning poems and a goody bag.

All the competition entries are included in the booklet, which is on sale at Time and Elegance, priced £2.50.

Proceeds will go to an appeal for funding for the Headington Christmas lights, with a donation to be made to the Imps education scheme, which teaches first aid to 10-year-old children.