WELL versed - that's three young Daily Echo readers who were winners in the recent KidsVerse 2003 poetry competition.

Becky Henderson, who goes to St James' Primary School in West End, collected second prize in the nine to 12-year age group for a poem simply named Cat, while Rhiannon Bennett, who attends Orchard Junior School in Dibden Purlieu, won third prize, also in the nine to 12-year age group, for her poem How Many People Must Die?

Terry Ayres from Broughton Primary School was highly commended in the nine to 12-year age group for his poem entitled Valley of Love.

All three children were praised for their poems, with other winners of the competition, by judge and top poet Carol Ann Duffy.

The three youngsters received their awards at the Daily Echo offices in Redbridge. KidsVerse attracted more than 1,000 entries from schools across Hampshire.