The Amnesty International Ely group has announced its short story competition winners as judged by award-winning local author Jill Dawson.

The competition is run every year in memory of one of its founder members, Gareth Davies-Jones, who taught for many years at Witchford Village College.

First prize, of a hardback signed first edition of Jill’s latest novel “The Crime Writer”, plus £50, went to Lynda Turbet.

Her beautifully crafted story “Meeting Mr Darcy in Darayya” is based on the true story of a secret library in the heavily bombed Syrian town of Darayya, which was the subject of a Radio 4 documentary in July this year.

Lynda is donating her winnings to the charity Hand in Hand for Syria which, in addition to delivering medical and humanitarian aid to Syria, runs schools and provides educational materials for Syrian refugee children.

The runner-up was Judith Sansom for her brief, uplifting story “Rasha’s Boys” about a Syrian refugee family resettled in Scotland.

She received a copy of the Ely Group’s “A Taste of Freedom” recipe book which can be bought online.

The Amnesty Group will be running the competition again in 2017, and all proceeds from the entry fees will again go towards Amnesty’s human rights campaigns.