THERE was a buzz of excitement and creative genius at Great Dunmow Primary School on Monday as pupils took part in a national competition to write a newspaper in one day. The competition, run through the Daily Telegraph and Times Educational supplement, m

THERE was a buzz of excitement and creative genius at Great Dunmow Primary School on Monday as pupils took part in a national competition to write a newspaper in one day.

The competition, run through the Daily Telegraph and Times Educational supplement, meant Year Five and Six students turned into budding hacks for the day and their classroom was changed into a newsroom.

Bridget O'Reilly, Year Five teacher, came up with the idea of the children entering.

She said: "It was a very demanding thing for the children and they were surprised at how much work it was and how constantly they had to write to produce the stories in order to get the paper finished."

The paper was given the title of the Great Dunmow Primary Post and included articles about Stansted Airport expansion, school children learning foreign languages, global warming, recycling and a report from the Geneva Motor Show.

Ms O'Reilly said the pupils worked very hard but special mention should go to editor Thomas Moverely-Foster, 11, sub-editor Anna Watts, nine, and Joe Baggs, 10, who drew all the cartoons.

The children will hear how well they have done in two or three weeks' time.