AWARD-WINNING poet George Szirtes is to judge the Ealing Autumn Festival’s Magna Carta poetry competition on Sunday.

Competitors have created poems about freedom, human rights and democracy, with winners to be announced in two categories - under 18s and over 18s.

The top three in each category judged by Mr Szirtes to be top of their game will be rewarded with cash prizes of between £20 and £200.

In 2005, his Reel collection won him the acclaimed annual T.S. Eliot Poetry Prize, considered to be the highest award possible in UK poetry.

Gillian Spragg, artistic director of the Ealing Autumn Festival, said: “We asked him because we knew that he had been a refugee and that the meaning of Magna Carta would have a special meaning for him."

Mr Szirtes arrived in England as a refugee in 1956 following the unsuccessful Hungarian uprising.

“When we celebrate Magna Carta, we should remember how valuable our freedoms are,” said Ms Spragg.

“The people that wrote Magna Carta may not have been angels – how many of us are? But the beginnings of wanting to be free are clearly set out.”

The Magna Carta is the running theme of the entire Autumn festival, with a digitised version of the document on exhibition at the Ealing Central Library and Wood End Library until the end of the month.

The events surrounding the competition will be split into two halves, the first from 2.30pm at Ealing Central Library focusing on the under 18s.

Free to the public, it will include poetry readings from the finalists and an open mic session, before the category winner is announced.

The nominees are: Opefoluwa Sarah Adegbite, 13; Freda D'Souza, 15; Clara Dunn, 17; Freddie Lambeth, 11; Danyal Parvez, 11; Suhailah Parvez, 6 and Dana Rice, 14.

The second half of the event, from 7pm, at The Drayton Court in West Ealing, will focus on the older age group.

Finalists are: Paul Connolly, Julian Dobson, Giles Goodland, Sarah Salway, Derek Sellen, David Swan, Phil Vernon, and Sarah Watkinson.

Tickets for the evening on October 11 cost £10, or £5 for competitors, students and over 60s.

Information on the event is available at www.ealingautumnfestival.co.uk