Two would-be journalists have each been awarded £1,500 to pursue their dream careers.

Photographer Gavin Close, (15), and 17-year-old cub reporter Sarah Manning, scooped the cash from the Millennium Commission, which uses money raised by the National Lottery for community causes.

The pair, who both attend Beaumont Leys Secondary School in Leicester, have already started making headlines by producing stories for the free Leicester North Community Paper.

They will use the money for equipment, training and educational visits to places such as the National Museum of Film and Photography and the Guardian visitor centre.

Gavin has recently started a photography training course in Leicester and Sarah is about to start journalism tuition.

She said: "I've always liked writing and messing around on computers and I enjoy interviewing people, too.

"I would like to work on a newspaper like the Leicester Mercury."

Youth worker Rachel Blunt said: "The idea is that eventually they will be able to support other children in the community by passing on their skills."

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