YOUNG bookworms sat patiently as they waited to find out who had won the top prize in a reading competition.

During the summer holidays, hundreds of children dragged their parents and relatives off to Harrow’s libraries in a desperate bid to win a host of prizes in a summer reading challenge.

The challenge, which takes place every year, saw young bookworms aged between four and 11-years-old pick up six books during the school holidays to be rewarded with stickers and prizes.

Attending the end of challenge celebration, seven young children and 25 members of their families met The Mayor of Harrow, Councillor Krishna Suresh at Kenton Library.

The children explained to the Mayor that they had completed the challenge by reading six library books during the summer and told him about some of their favourite books.

The Mayor then talked about the importance of reading and answered questions from the children and parents.

Suspense mounted as he went on to draw four children’s names, which were drawn at random from the 1,827 children who had completed the challenge to win prizes.

The 1st prize of a LEGO trophy, four LEGOland tickets and a Storystarter introduction pack went to Alissa, aged 6, from Kenton Library.

She said that she only completed the challenge on the last day and had to persuade her parents to stop at the library on the way to a day out.

A total of 3,220 children took part in the Summer Reading Challenge, with 57 per cent going on to complete it and being rewarded with a certificate, medal and Everyone Active swim pass for Harrow Leisure Centre.