A talented Cockermouth School boy has beaten thousands of other children to win a national picture book competition.

Thirteen-year-old William Thompson's illustrated story, The Grand Pancake Race, won the secondary school section of the ReadingZone contest and went on to be declared overall winner by judge and illustrator Mick Inkpen.

Mick, who is best known for his creations Kipper the Dog and Wibbly Pig, said: "This is a rollicking, no-holds-barred exercise in imagination. William's illustrations have exactly the same bravura spirit as his text. Nothing is withheld - loads of great ideas - loads of great jokes - but all contained within a properly structured and really satisfying story."

All of the students in William's English class entered the competition. The winner was announced during a lesson this week.

"It was very exciting, I really enjoyed doing it but I was surprised to win such a big competition and really pleased with what Mick Inkpen said," said William, who lives in Cockermouth and is a keen cartoonist.

He will receive 50 printed copies of his book and a set of 10 books of his choice for the school library. An author will also visit the school in the coming year as part of his prize.

William, whose father, Adrian, is team vicar at Christ Church, plans to give some of the books to friends and family and then sell the rest to raise funds for Poverty Swap, a charity which is run by fellow church member Helen Faulds.

English teacher Kellie Williams said: "We're very proud of him, it's a fantastic book."