Proving that it's never too late to be a writer, 57-year-old Katie Westerbury won first prize in a recent short story and poetry competition run by the university. Katie, who is studying creative writing at the Community University of the Valleys East (CUV-East) won with her tale entitled "My Mother's and Bette's Funerals".

"This was the first short story I've completed properly," said Katie, "and I was very pleased and surprised to win. The story's about the different things that happen at funerals, from a Dixieland jazz band to a cycle race!

"Doing the creative writing course has been very valuable in helping me to achieve this."

Katie is pictured with celebrated poet Adrian Mitchell, who presented the prizes for the competition.