SEBASTIAN Grace, a pupil at St Martin’s Ampleforth school, near Helmsley, has taken the top prize in a short story contest set up by an Oscar-winning screenwriter.

Sebastian’s story, entitled Destiny, about an actor preparing for a show, was the winner in the Year 5 to Year 6 category of the Simon Beaufoy Short Story Competition, which was open to young people from all schools across North Yorkshire.

Sebastian, 11, was presented with the award by award-winning Scarborough poet Wes Magee, who also judged the contest.

Mr Beaufoy won an Oscar for scripting the 2009 hit film Slumdog Millionaire. He is a former pupil at Malsis School in Cross Hills, near Skipton, which organises the annual contest.

Along with the winner’s plaque, Sebastian was awarded a fountain pen and a £50 book token for his school.