A five-year-old pupil took tea with the Mayor of St Albans on Tuesday after winning a school painting competition as part of Local Democracy Week.

Local primary school pupils were invited to illustrate what they would do if they were mayor for the day for the ‘Meet the Mayor’ competition.

Tommy Harrison from How Wood Primary School, in Park Street, won the prize of tea with the mayor with his picture "In remembrance - sow poppy seeds in schools". The illustration featured the mayor, children and a field of poppies.

Tommy took along five friends to meet the mayor, Annie Brewster, and her Macebearer in her parlour. Each of them had fun dressing up in the mayoral robes and holding the Mace. Joining the mayor and Tommy for tea were Sam Stewart, Octavius Walker, Oliver Sheen, Alice Babcock and Sophie Holliss.

The runners up in the competition were Eddie Campfield from The Grove School and Daniel Roberts from St Bernadette School. Both runners-up were awarded a certificate and book voucher.

St Albans & Harpenden Review:

Tommy's winning entry

More than 300 entries were received from the four schools that took part in the competition including How Wood Primary School, Park Street; St Bernadette Catholic Primary School, London Colney; The Grove Junior School, Harpenden, and Maple Primary School.

The mayor said: "I was amazed by the tremendous ideas our junior residents came up with for the Meet the Mayor competition. Some were totally brilliant but required more than a day to achieve.

"Tommy’s, however, is simple to organise yet inspirational as a way for young people to honour our brave fallen heroes. We are arranging to make Tommy’s idea happen, and hope to witness the poppy seed planting at his school before half term. I am delighted that Tommy has also agreed to lay a wreath at the Remembrance Service in St Peter’s Street, St Albans, on 10 November."

Local Democracy Week runs from Monday, October 14 to Sunday, October 20. Residents can have a say in local decision-making in a series of events organised by St Albans District Council and partners.