Argyll poem could be £1,000 prize winner

A POEM about Oban or another town in your circulation area could win £1,000 in a free poetry competition.

Entry is completely free and anyone, young or old, can have a go – beginners too. All you have to do is send a poem about Oban or another town in the area to Local Poem by email info@ unitedpress.co.uk or post to United Press Ltd, Admail 3735, London, EC1B 1JB.

The best poem will win £1,000 cash and you can send up to three entries, which must be no more than 25 lines (each blank line counts as one line) and 160 words each.

‘It can even be about something or someone from the poet’s home area,’ explained a United Press spokesman.

‘ We find that poems written from personal observation and experience are the most heartfelt and expressive, so we’re expecting some great entries from your readers.

‘The contest is designed to encourage ordinary people to write poetry – to both express themselves and be more creative.’

‘Last year’s winner was Poppy Turner from Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire who read her poem out on an episode of the BBC’s Countryfile, and previous winners came from Leicester, Surrey, South Yorkshire, Bristol, Oxford, Stafford, Rotherham and Greater Manchester.

Winning poems have been about a river, a tower, a local character, village life and local history.