Portait contest puts mums in the picture

They have been working on a portrait competition, organised by the Viking Shopping Centre, to coincide with Mothering Sunday.

More than 800 entries were received from Simonside Primary School, Jarrow Cross School, St Matthew’s RC Primary School, St James RC Primary School, Hebburn, St Oswald’s RC Primary School, South Shields and Hedworth Lane Primary Schools.

The panel of judges - Viking Centre manager Lee Kimber, Store Twenty One manager Reece Whilling, Maria Atkinson and Diane Marsh from Speedy Stitch, and centre security supervisor Graham Cowling - chose one winner in the five-to-seven and eight-to-11 age groups.

“We obviously have some very talented children in Jarrow. The quality of the portraits was so high, it made judging very difficult,” said Lee.

The winners were Alyssa Telford, five, from Jarrow Cross School, and Charlotte Jones, 10, from St James RC Primary School.

Both received a £25 gift voucher for themselves and a gift box for their mother.

They will also have their original artwork framed – as a gift for their mums on Mothering Sunday.

Lee added: “Not only did we have to select a winner in the two age categories, we also had to pick the school we thought submitted the best overall quality of entries.

“This school was St Matthews’ RC Primary School and it received a cheque for £100 as a prize.

All the entries can be viewed on the Centre’s Facebook page facebook.com/thevikingcentre