Students at a Bradford school fought their nerves in a Reading Idol competition in front of a panel of judges.

Twenty boys aged 11 and 12 stepped up to read a prepared extract from a work of fiction they had chosen in round one of the contest at St Bede’s Catholic Grammar School, Heaton, Bradford.

Sixth-form students judged their performances, which saw some adopt American accents in the second round where they were given ten minutes to prepare to read snippets from Of Mice and Men. The overall winner was Luke Simpson.

English teacher Chris Cowthorne, said: “The competition benefited their confidence and made them realise what effective speakers they can be.”

Daniel Lane is pictured reading, judged by Jack Holland and Dee Thorpe