AFTER many hours of discussion and deliberation, young judges have announced the winner of this year's Bolton Children's Fiction Award.

This 2016 award went to Narinder Dhami, author of 13 Hours, who also won it in 2010 with her Bang, Bang, You're Dead!

She said: "Having looked at the others on the shortlist, I honestly didn’t think I would win! I’ll say exactly what I said in 2010 – ‘No, not me! I haven’t prepared a speech!’ I haven’t again.

"Shall I do what they do at the Oscars and thank everybody? I’ve got to thank everyone who voted for me.

"I should also thank everyone involved in the award.

"Thank you all for being so interested in reading and so enthusiastic.”

Young people from across the borough had a vote in who they thought was the most deserving of this year's award.

They chose from a shortlist of They were The Disappearance of Tom Pile by Ian Beck,13 Hours by Narinder Dhami, An Island of Our Own by Sally Nicholls, Smart by Kim Slater, Would the Real Stanley Carrot Please Stand Up by Rob Stevens and One of Us by Jeannie Waudby.

All six authors attended the awards ceremony.

Author, illustrator and animator Curtis Jobling was the master of ceremonies, and 250 pupils from 16 local schools spoke to authors and aspiring writers picked up invaluable tips and advice.

Maria Howarth, Bolton School Head Librarian, said: "People say that children aren’t reading any more, but the demand for the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award is phenomenal.

"The number of children taking part illustrates a real sense of excitement about reading.

" There are two things that I think are particularly important about the Award. The first is the fact that it’s aimed at Year 7 pupils, so it gives them a focus as they’re starting their secondary school careers. The second is that, because of the selection criteria, it gives a high profile to new and previously unpublished authors, and encourages pupils to read beyond their usual authors and outside their comfort zones."

Freddie Higham, aged 11, at Bolton School boys’ division, said: "I enjoyed reading 13 Hours by Narinder Dhami.

"I think it deserved to win because it shows how much Anni loves her mother and I liked how the story stretched out — it doesn’t just give you all the information at the start.

"You don’t find out who the people invading the house are until the very end. I also like how Anni finds out secrets about her mother, and all the mysteries in the book."

This year, a Cover Competition was held challenging pupils to create a new cover for Narinder Dhami’s Thirteen Hours.

Esmée Higgins from the Girls’ Division came in first place with her design featuring a clock face and prison-like bars, while Amy Tsang from Bolton St Catherine’s Academy, Alice Dearden of Woodhey High School, and Umar Ikheria from the Boys’ Division were awarded with joint second place.

Pupils at St James’s CE High School wrote their "trailers" to the book impressing the authors.

The Bolton Children’s Fiction Award is run by Bolton School.

Each year, the winner is selected via votes cast by children under the age of fifteen and adults have no say in the outcome.

Twenty-one schools took part.