FESTIVE messages of goodwill from the people of Eastleigh will be delivered around the globe inside a card designed by an eight-year-old schoolgirl.

Artistic Rachel Batchelor from Freegrounds Junior School, Hedge End, designed the winning entry in Eastleigh council's Christmas card competition.

Accompanied by her mum she braved cold and dismal weather conditions to sketch St John's Church in Hedge End at night, and then spent a week painstakingly colouring in the picture - complete with Santa and his sleigh parked on the roof.

It is the third time a pupil from the school has won the top prize in the competition's six-year-long history.

Rachel's card will now be posted to council contacts all over the world including the borough's twin towns of Kornwestheim in Germany and Villeneuve-St-Georges in France and its sister city of Temple Terrace in USA.

Rachel from Hedge End, who loves art and draws at home, said: "I was sitting at home thinking of an idea for the Christmas card competition and I thought that everyone else was doing cards with planes from the airport so I decided to do this.

"Winning makes me feel very proud of myself and I think all that time and effort was worth it," she added.

Head teacher Malcolm Barrett said: "I'm absolutely delighted. I particularly liked Rachel's card for the accuracy and the colour and the atmosphere it evokes for Christmas."

Council leader Keith House, who presented the prize, said: "Rachel's card was an excellent design and really depicted the festive spirit of Christmas within the Borough. Over the years we have been delighted to involve our school and local children at this festive time of year."