A local teenager has progressed to the national finals of a young people’s public-speaking competition after showing ‘aplomb’ at a Hereford Cathedral qualifying heat.

Honor Letts, 13, from How Caple was the winner in her age-group in the Hereford diocese heat of the Cranmer Awards, reading prepared passages from the Book of Common Prayer.

Event organiser Noel Manns of the Prayer Book Society said: “We had a record number of contestants. The quality was high but the judges felt that Honor spoke with particular clarity and aplomb.”

Honor won £25 and will now take part in the Cranmer Awards national finals in Worcester in February.

The Hereford heat was held at Hereford Cathedral’s college hall.

Honor, who attends Malvern College, said she intended to spend some of her winnings on ‘going slightly mad at the sweet shop.’