A national poetry competition has been won for the first time by a 12-year-old schoolboy.

Antonio Mo, of St Martin’s Preparatory School for Boys in Northwood, is the first boy ever to win the National Poetry Award.

Twelve-year-old Antonio wrote his poem, Bottle Fish, in response to the theme of The Sea.

This Is Local London:

His entry was judged by authors and poets, including the National Poetry Society, and selected for first place from over 23,000 other poems.

Christina Gabbitas, author of children’s book, Felicity Fly, will present Antonio with a canvas of his poem during an assembly at St Martin's School, on June 6.

Antonio will then be asked to read out his award-winning poem to the school.

Christina will also announce if any other boys from St Martin's have been selected for the anthology which will be published to raise money for Barnardo's.

Christina Gabbitas said: "It's children helping children."

St Martin's School won the inaugural Times Spelling Bee nine years ago and since then they have gone on to win numerous other creative writing competitions.

After assembly Christina will complete her visit by running poetry workshops in St Martin's School.