A BUDDING journalist has penned his first column for the Grimsby Telegraph – at just 11 years old.

Healing Primary School pupil James Smith wrote the piece after a family trip to Far Ings Nature Reserve, in Barton.

The Year 6 student, who will start at Caistor Grammar School in September, has long dreamed of becoming a journalist and was encouraged to submit the column to his local paper by teacher Melanie Nurse.

James, of Healing, said: "We were doing a class project on what we wanted our future to be like and what we would like to do for our dream job.

"I put that I wanted to be a journalist. I have always wanted to write for the Grimsby Telegraph, ever since I first started reading it at a young age.

"My teacher said that I should write about my trip to the nature reserve and that she would email it to the editor.

"I couldn't believe it when I found out that it was actually going to be featured in the newspaper."

To read James' first article, pick up your Grimsby Telegraph today.

For all the latest news on the Telegraph's ABC Campaign, which is aimed at raising literacy standards in North East Lincolnshire, visit www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/getreading