A POEM written by a Bournemouth University student, inspired by visiting the First World War battlefields, has won a creative writing prize.

BA (Hons) English student Sarah Wall won the Thomas Hardy Society prize for the best piece of creative writing from a first year student on the course.

She received a certificate and £125 from the society for her poem, Here We Stand – We Are the Dead.

Sarah, 19, who is from Farnborough and lives in Lansdowne while at BU, said: “I was delighted to hear I'd won the award, because I was really proud of my poem.

“I'm really glad that the judges liked it, because as a piece of war poetry inspired by my trip to the First World War battlefields four years ago. It’s something very close to my heart.”

Poet and writer Thomas Hardy was born in Dorchester, and the creative writing award was established with the Thomas Hardy Society when the BA (Hons) English degree was launched in 2010.

Dr Jim Pope, BA English programme coordinator at Bournemouth University, pictured left with Sarah, said: “The Thomas Hardy Society Prize is a lovely symbol of the relationship between Dorset’s literary tradition and the first English degree in the county.

“We are thrilled to be supported by the Hardy Society and we are looking forward to extending that relationship in the coming years for the benefit of our students.”