Geoffrey's poem is a prize-winner

A poet has had his prize-winning work read out at a historic civil ceremony and he did not know anything about it.

Geoffrey Gregg, 62, won first prize in the former Sedgefield Borough Council’s poetry competition called Our Local Area.

Entrants were asked to write a poem which had been inspired by Sedgefield and the winners were read out at the council’s closing ceremony on 1st April.

Mr Gregg, was invited to attend the event, at the National Railway Museum, in Shildon, but his invitation did not say that he had won the competition.

The retired office worker said he did not find out about his win until a few weeks later when his prize of a decorative hip flask arrived.

"It would not have made any difference to me because I do voluntary work every Sunday so I would not have been able to go along" said Mr Gregg of Tursdale near Ferryhill.

"I know that some of the other work was displayed at the museum for a while and it would have been nice to get along and read some of it, after the event. But it is still really nice to have won."

Mr Greggs poetry talents don’t stop there! Earlier this year he was presented with a basket full of goodies after winning 1st prize in 'Most Romantic Poem of 2009' competition at his local Asda store.

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