Want your writing judged by the man who discovered Harry Potter author JK Rowling?

Budding young writers are being encouraged to share their best ghostly tales for a creative writing competition judged by the man who discovered Harry Potter writer JK Rowling.

By The Newsroom

Published 8th May 2018, 14:48 BST

Updated 8th May 2018, 14:56 BST

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has teamed up with Waterstones, BBC Radio Lancashire and the Harris Museum, Art Gallery and Library to create The Supernatural and Fantastical Short Story Competition.

Aimed at 11 to 18-year-olds with an interest in creative writing, the competition is looking for stories of no more than 500 words that fit into the supernatural and fantasy genres. Entrants are asked to the use the portrait of Pauline in the Yellow Dress by Sir James Gunn as inspiration for their stories, asking themselves is she plotting something good or evil?

All entries will be judged by Barry Cunningham OBE, Publisher and Managing Director of Chicken House who also signed JK Rowling for Bloomsbury.

Stories can be handed to staff at Waterstones in Bank Hey Street until Friday, June 1.

JK Rowling