Children can show how much they love their mothers by writing poems in a competition run by a shopping centre.

The Market Gates Shopping Centre in Great Yarmouth has invited children from twenty local schools to put pen to paper and write a poem for their mum for Mother’s Day.

All the poems will be uploaded on a poetry book section of Market Gates’ Facebook page with the best entries put on display in the centre as well.

There are two categories, five to seven and eight to 11, and the two winners, who will be chosen from likes on Facebook, will receive a £25 gift voucher for themselves and also their mother.

The children will also be invited to read their poem to their mothers in a Facebook Live session.

The schools have all been sent a teacher’s project booklet as a lesson aid which provides detailed information about a very broad range of writers from different genres, cultures and ages; 40 entry forms and, since the poems will be uploaded on to the centre’s Facebook page, a leaflet about viewing the virtual poetry book.

With Mother’s Day very early this year - on Sunday, March 11 – the closing date for entries is Friday, February 16 to allow time for the poems to be judged, the best entries displayed in the centre and prizes presented to the successful poets and their mothers.

Dee Greenwood, deputy manager of Market Gates Shopping Centre, said: “We will also upload all the poems onto our Facebook page so that everyone can see how talented the children are.

“This very public display of affection can be viewed in a virtual poetry book from Wednesday, 21 February and the poem with the most likes by Thursday, March 8 will win a £25 gift voucher both for themselves and their mum.”

“We will also donate £100 to the school submitting the best overall entries.”

“When we ran a similar competition in 2016, we invited children to draw a picture of their mother and had over 1,220 entries.”

The competition is open to all local children between five and 11 and entry forms are available from the Market Gates Shopping Centre by calling 01493 858677.