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Would-be journalist to report on Commonwealth Games

Wallis Reilly with her Press Pass

A story about her aunt’s battle with cancer has won a would-be journalist the chance to report live on the Commonwealth Games this summer.

Wallis Reilly’s short story so impressed the judges of a UK-wide competition, that they named her one of the winners.

The 17-year-old, who hales from Port Glasgow, was one of an elite band of 20 young writers to win a brand new tablet computer, as well as landing herself a press pass for the showpiece event, after entering the Future News 2014 contest.

Wallis, left, who has done work experience at the Greenock Telegraph, had to pen an article either about a hero or an inspirational figure in her life in under 60 minutes.

The St Stephen’s High pupil, had nearly missed out on the amazing opportunity because she only found out about the competition just an hour before deadline.

She said: “I was really surprised that I won because a friend of mine at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) only told me about it an hour before the competition closed.

“I had to quickly type up 500 words on a hero or a person who had inspired me.

“So I wrote about my aunt, who fought cancer for most of her life, but died suddenly.”

Wallis’ win also ensured her a place at the Future News Conference in Glasgow last month, organised by educational charity, the British Council.

Around 300 other budding young writers from some 14 countries including Jamaica, Pakistan, and South Africa, attended the conference at the Mitchell Library. Wallis was also given a tour of the Glasgow 2014 venues, and penned articles for the Future News website.

Now she is excitedly awaiting the prospect of rubbing shoulders with world class athletes and the global professional media in July.

Wallis is also hopeful that it will set her up nicely for a career in the world of media, and increase her chances of being accepted to study Journalism at GCU.