The Hall Caine Prize for Creative Writing, an annual competition for island schools, has attracted a large number of entries.

This year pupils have submitted more than 830 stories to the Department of Education and Children.

The theme of the competition changes annually and this year’s was ’Space’. There are cash prizes for the winners, who will be notified at the end of March.

Every entrant will receive a certificate to acknowledge the time and effort they put into their writing.

Gloria Rukeyser, Hall Caine’s great granddaughter, who is herself a writer, author and journalist, funds the competition to keep her famous ancestor’s name alive and to encourage the art of thoughtful storytelling in Manx schools. Mrs Rukeyser will attend the presentation of awards at the Studio Theatre, Ballakermeen, on May 12.

The date was chosen as it is close to the author’s birthday, May 14.

Mr Caine was born 164 years ago and was one of the most successful novellists of his era, thanks to novels such as The Manxman and The Deemster.

Margaret Mansfield, who is running the competition this year, said: ’We can be really proud of our schools and the way in which they encourage children to develop their imagination and literary flair.

’I have had the pleasure of visiting many of the schools and I have enjoyed the enthusiasm and the interest shown by pupils.’