YOUNG poets across Oxfordshire are being encouraged to enter a competition in honour of Sir John Betjeman, the former Poet Laureate with close ties to the county.

Betjeman, who died in 1984, was educated at The Dragon School and Magdalen College in Oxford, lived in Uffington from 1934 to 1945, and in Wantage from 1951 to 1972.

The competition was set up four years ago by Betjeman’s family to encourage children across the country to develop an early love of poetry.

It is open to all 10- to 13-year-olds, who have to send in a poem on the theme of ‘place’ by the end of July.

Spokesman Justin Gowers said: “The idea behind the poetry competition is to encourage children to notice their surroundings.

“They can choose anywhere that is important to them, from their bedroom to somewhere they visited on holiday, from their favourite park to their favourite building. We are asking them to capture in words what that place means to them.”

Last year, seven Oxfordshire children were among 30 highly commended entrants from 3,000 submissions. Young poets from the towns and villages Betjeman knew are among those preparing to enter the 2011 competition, including pupils at King Alfred’s School, Wantage.

Louis Butler, 14, from Baulking, near Uffington, who entered last year, said: “I have read some John Betjeman poems about Wantage.

“I found it quite interesting and quirky. I went to school in Uffington, and often go there, and it is quite nice to know about the links to Betjeman.”

Winners will get £500 and the same amount goes to their school, library, community hall or church.

They will also get to read their poem to celebrities and guests at a prize-giving next to the bronze statue of Betjeman on the concourse of the Victorian St Pancras station, which Betjeman did so much to save.

Judges for the 2011 competition are poet Brian Patten and Oxford Brookes lecturer and author Candida Crewe.

Entry forms are available at betjemanpoetrycompetition.com, or submissions can be posted to The John Betjeman Poetry Competition, PO Box 51177, London, SE13 9BP.

A display about the competition is on show in the children’s section of Oxford Central Library until the end of the month.