Telling a room full of people she was a loser helped a Harrow teenager on her way to the final of a public speaking competition.

Shama Chentouf, who attends Bentley Wood High School, won top prize in the Harrow Regional Final of the Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge.

The competition was held at Nower Hill High School last week and featured 16 speakers from other Harrow schools.

The 15-year-old said: “I can’t believe it, boys normally win this not girls, I just cannot believe it. When they called my name my heart just stopped.”

She impressed judges with her speech entitled 'I am a loser' and winning herself a £100 Gift Certificate for coming first and a chance to go through to the grand final of the challenge in July.