PUPILS and students in West Devon are being encouraged to enter an exciting competition celebrating the history of the Bramley apple and the growing Anglo-Japanese links.

All young writers and artists, aged five to 18, are invited to take part in the competition, creating either a poem or artistic picture, illustrating an event from the story of the Bramley apple.

The history of the apple can be found at http://www.bramleyapples.co.uk/bramley-apples-history">www.bramleyapples.co.uk/bramley-apples-history and entrants can pick one event and illustrate it in any artistic style they wish, or write a poem about it. The poem can be a haiku, limerick or free verse and can be written in either English or Japanese.

To help get the creative juices flowing, the Bramley Apple competition team — Celia Steven, great granddaughter of Henry Merryweather who cultivated the first Bramley apple orchard, and Myfanwy Cook, a prize winning short fiction writer — will be inviting people to Tavistock Library on Saturday between 10am to noon, where they can find out more about the competition.

The best poems and illustrations will be showcased on the Japan400 Plymouth website. A range of prizes are up for grabs, including a one-night stay for two people at the De Vere Venues Orchard Hotel, home to the original orchard of the Bramley apple.

To submit your entry, send an electronic copy via email to [email protected]">[email protected] — if it is artwork it can be scanned and sent as an image file.

Poems must be no longer than 10 lines if written in English and if written in Japanese must be no longer than 200 characters. Entries from children under 16 must be accompanied by an email from their teacher, parent or guardian stating they give permission to enter the competition. Entries must include your name, age and name of your school.

All prize winners will be announced to coincide with the Japanese 'Setsubun Festival' on February 3.

Questions and inquiries can be sent to [email protected]">[email protected]