A VIVID verbal picture of Britain created by an Oxford schoolboy has won a national poetry competition.

Pedr Davies beat competition from more than 400 other writers to win the youth section of the Buxton Poetry Competition with his poem “Welcome to Britain”.

The 12-year-old, who lives in Argyle Street, is a pupil at the Bartholomew School, Eynsham.

He was picked by judges over children much older than himself, competing in the 12 to 18 section of the contest.

His winning entry makes reference to a number of iconic British landmarks, including the Tower of London, Blackpool Tower and Oxford’s own Radcliffe Camera.

He said: “I was handed the letter in class and I kind of assumed from how it was written at the beginning that it wasn’t a positive letter. When I got to the bit which told me I had won I was silent for a few seconds. I was very surprised.”

Pedr and his class had been asked to write the poems for a homework assignment, then the teachers entered their efforts in the competition.

His task was to write a poem on the subject Welcome to Britain.

He said: “Once I had written one line, others seemed to start slotting into it.

“I have never been a massive fan of poetry, I have always preferred writing stories, which is another reason I was surprised to win.

“I really didn’t think my poems were brilliant.”

His mother, Judith Davies, had no idea her son had entered the contest until he came home with the prize. She said: “We were absolutely amazed.

 

“When we realised he was in the youth category for 12 to 18 year olds and had got first prize even though he’s only 12, it was a proud moment.”

She said Pedr was a keen reader and had wanted to be an author of children’s books since he was five years old.

She added: “I thought the poem was really lovely.”

The poem mentions a range of different spots across the UK, many of which he had seen while climbing with his father, Huw Davies, and others he had been to when visiting family in Yorkshire.

Pedr received a prize of book tokens and his work was displayed at the Devonshire Dome Exhibition and in the Buxton Festival programme, both of them in Derbyshire.

 

WELCOME TO BRITAIN

Welcome to Britain; please enjoy it all,
The Tower of London; Royal Albert Hall,
Buckingham Palace and the Ugly House,
The North Yorkshire Moors are swarming with grouse,
Radcliffe Camera in Oxford’s skyline,
Drop any litter and you’ll pay a fine,
The Millenniums: Stadium and Bridge,
Less chance you’ll wobble on Skye’s Cuillin Ridge,
British Museum, with pillars and all,
The Blackpool Tower stands so proud and tall,
Canary Wharf’s where they make the money,
A massive glass gherkin; that’s just funny!
Stood by the Thames is the great London Eye,
Go for a ride it will take you up high,
The ancient castles where brave knights once fought,
Now full of shops – souvenirs to be bought!
Tiny Ynys Gifftan; the huge Ben Nevis;
The Rock of Ages; a famous crevice,
Hike up on Snowdon; buy a snack at the shop,
If you prefer, catch the train to the top,
Titus Salt’s Mill: full of Hockney’s fine art,
The pillars of Tower Bridge stand apart.
South Wales and Yorkshire, once full of dark mines,
Transporting coal, on pre-Beeching’s train lines.
Dividing the land lies Hadrian’s Wall
This is only a start; explore it all!