A DISNEY inspired design has scooped first prize in this year’s Ilkley Carnival ‘At The Movies’ themed cover competition.

Ava Jones, aged nine, from Ghyll Royd School, was the overall winner of the competition following an impressive collection of entries from local schools and independent submissions.

The drawing, which includes popcorn and popular characters from the movies, will make the cover of the 2017 programme, and for the first time in Ilkley Carnival history, will adorn the front of 5,000 limited edition Tesco hessian bags for life following their main sponsorship of the 2017 Ilkley Carnival.

Ava said: "I'm so happy that my whole class gets to enjoy the prize of a workshop with the Junior Chef’s Academy and I can't believe that so many bags will have my design on. I really enjoy colouring and drawing so winning the competition is a real confidence booster!”

Other highly commended entries were Lotte-Rose O’Keefe and fellow Ghyll Royd pupils Evelyn Connor and Bea Horsley who will each receive Bettys goody bags and certificates in front of thousands of spectators on the carnival presentation stage on Monday, May 1.

Ghyll Royd School head teacher, Mr David Martin said: "Ava's design is fantastic and well deserving of first place in the cover competition. We're very proud of her achievement and would like to thank our art teacher Keeley Smith for her dedication and passion for creating, which clearly rubs off on our talented pupils."

Samantha Lawton, branch manager at competition sponsor Bettys Café Tea Rooms, praised the children for embracing the carnival’s Hollywood theme and said the initiative encourages children to feel involved in the event weeks before it starts.

Ilkley Carnival chairman, Andrew Stacey added: “The carnival cover competition is such a great part of the countdown to our annual May Day event and if the entries are anything to go by, it’s going to be a fantastically vibrant carnival parade.”

Sarita Prashar, store manager of the Tesco store in Ilkley which is organizing a Junior Chef’s Academy Workshop for Ava’s classmates at Ghyll Royd School, said: “The store team would like to congratulate Ava on her winning design and we cannot wait to see it on the limited edition hessian bags, which our colleagues will be giving away to customers at the store and at the Ilkley Carnival on May Day.

“The Junior Chef’s Academy Workshop prize was organised as part of Tesco’s commitment to encourage healthy eating. It will give Ava and her classmates the opportunity to learn about living a healthy lifestyle whilst also creating healthy recipes which can be recreated at home.”