The Local Reporting Awards for 2003 will be split into two categories – to give professionals and non-professionals the chance to win the top prize.

The awards recognise excellence in local reporting by people under the age of 30, who write about the valuable work carried out by young people at community level.

The first prize in each section is an interview with television presenter Cat Deeley.

The articles will be judged by representatives from The Newspaper Society, the Prince’s Trust and St James’s Palace, on clarity, ability to engage the reader and provoke thought, originality and choice of story.

Each year newspapers put stories forward for the awards by running their own competitions for people in their local community to write an article – or they send their own entries off from young reporters who have written an outstanding article for or about young people.

The contest is run each year by The Newspaper Society and the Prince’s Trust, and shortlisted entries for 2002 can be found at the Newspaper Society website.

Full details of how to enter can be found by clicking here.

Ian Drury from the Nottingham Evening Post won the 2001 award, writing about Shane O’Neill from the Killisick Youth Forum, who campaigned for youth facilities in a council estate in Nottingham.

Ian and the other runners up attended an award ceremony held at St James’ Palace, where The Prince of Wales presented the awards.