Budding crime fiction writers are being encouraged to enter a competition to show off their talents. 

The winners will meet leading crime writer Mark Billingham at the Kirkgate Centre in Cockermouth later this year. 

The arts centre is offering prizes including signed books, CDs and complimentary tickets for the best short story on the theme of crime in Cockermouth.

The competition is being run to celebrate the upcoming performance on September 18 of The Other Half, a fusion of crime story and country music written and performed by Mark and UK Country music duo, My Darling Clementine.

Stories can be up to 1,000 words and must be around the theme of Crime in Cockermouth.

There will be two categories for entries: writers aged 11 to 18 years and writers aged 19-plus.

The competition closes on Monday, September 7 and a panel that includes Mark will judge the submissions and pick a winner.

He will announce the winner during the performance of The Other Half.

Chris Bridgman, artistic manager at the Kirkgate, said: “It’s exciting to be encouraging local creative writers.

"There are plenty of people in this area with brilliant stories and this is a wonderful opportunity for budding writers to reach an audience.

“Mark Billingham is one of the most popular crime writers around and his acclaimed DI Tom Thorne novels are some of the most popular in that genre, making him the perfect choice to judge this competition.”

For more information, visit www.thekirkgatecentre.com