ASPIRING young writers are being invited to enter a short story competition as part of this year’s The Daily Mail Chalke Valley History Festival.

Entrants are asked to write a historical fiction short story, including a real historical character, with a maximum of 5,000 words, to be in with the chance of winning the Penguin Chalke Valley History Prize.

There are five themes: King and Country, Secrets and Spies, The Home, Adventurers and Inventors, and The Ancients, and the age groups are 11 to 14 and 15 to 18.

The prizes include £500 cash for the winner and their school, plus a further £100 worth of Penguin books and the opportunity to visit Penguin in London and be given a personal writing masterclass.

The judging panel includes best-selling author and comedian Charlie Higson, as well as a leading historian, publisher and literary agent.

For more information, visit cvhf.org.uk.