YOUNGSTERS took to the stage and showed off their public speaking talents in the annual Youth Speaks competition.

Rotary clubs of Banbury, Cherwell and Chipping Norton organised the event at Bloxham School, where eight teams of young people aged between 11 and 17 went head-to-head.

Warriner School won the Intermediate Cup and Chipping Norton School took the honours in the Senior Cup. Both teams now go on to the next stage of national competition in February.

Each team had three members, a chairman, the speaker and the proposer of the vote of thanks at the event on November 23.

Rotarian Mike Bonnick, chairman of the judges, said: “As usual for this annual heat of the competition, the teams had obviously put a huge amount of effort into their preparation, which showed in the consistently high quality of each presentation.

“All in all, a wonderful evening of Youth Speaks, thanks to team members who were a credit to their schools and above all, to themselves.”