WINNERS have been announced as talented writers were recognised at this year’s Bridport Prize.

Mark Pajak’s Spitting Distance was named winner of the poetry competition. The Edinburgh based writer finished ahead of Laura Watson from Colorado with her work, Chickens. In third place was Caroline Price with Silk.

Highly commended poetry entries included Australian writer Anthony Lawrence with Scan, as well as Glynis Charlton, Elizabeth Ezra and Jean Stevens.

The poetry competition was judged by Patience Agbabi.

The Peggy Chapman-Andrews Award for a First Novel was handed to S.M. Misra for The Unbelonging of Taksheel Chaturveydi, ahead of Christopher Holt who penned Orphaned Leaves.

Bridport Prize administrator Kate Wilson, believes the competition should fill Bridport residents with pride.

She said: “Once again we were delighted to receive so many high quality entries to the competition from across the world.

“From Mozambique to Macau and Ghana to Guernsey, writers enter the Bridport prize attracted by its prestige, the publication of the winners’ work and generous prize money. The Bridport Prize is something that everyone in Bridport should feel very proud of.

“The Bridport Prize is an international creative writing competition an the flagship project of Bridport Arts Centre. It was founded in 1973 by Peggy Chapman-Andrews as a fundraiser for the arts centre and continues to raise vital funds for Bridport Art Centre’s work each year.”

n Sarah Barr from Wimborne was named the winner of the Dorset Prize for her work, Making Coffee, Drinking Tea. She previously won the Dorset Prize in 2010.

Wendy Brandmark from London was named winner of the short story competition for Cut Loose. In second place was American writer Kathleen Donkin, who took silver for Open House. She was judged ahead of third-placed Lesley Kreuger from Toronto who submitted Steroid Dreams.

The short stories were judged by Tessa Hadley and highly commended writers for short stories included Karen Ashe, Sally Franicevich, Helena Grey and Jim Waite.

David Swann from Brighton was awarded first place in the flash fiction competition. Judge Tim Stevenson gave first place to his work, Drought. Michigan based author Karen Smyte was awarded second place for Dentures, while Toronto writer Rachel Robb was handed third place. Christina Eagles, Mark Farley and Carolyn Prior were highly commended for their flash fiction work.