An eight-year-old has won an all-expenses paid trip to Disneyland for herself and her family.

Luna Sedelmeier of Hove Junior School won the prize for her short story called No More Fear.

The story, about a boy who finds a monster under his bed, won the Young Author Award, beating competition from all over the UK.

Luna, from Hove, also won £2,500 for her school and a professionally illustrated cover for her story.

She said she was “overjoyed” to win the prizes for her family and school.

“I love the front cover,” Luna said. “It captures the story so well.

“I wanted to show that the world is a better place without fear and that books make everything a lot less scary, even a monster!

“For all the monsters out there, my story shows that being kind is much more fun than being mean and scary.

Luna’s story took first place in the seven to nine category of the awards run by Atom Learning, an online learning platform for primary school children.

The awards were created to “recognise and reward talented young writers” and the judges looked for “compelling plots, engaging characters and thought provoking messages.”

The judges said Luna’s story was “heartwarming” and “gripping.”

They added: “There are deep universal themes in the story, like the importance of kindness and the courage to face your fears.

“Luna’s story demonstrated the power of stories to build new bonds and connections to overcome barriers in young people’s lives.” 

Luna’s family are looking forward to the trip to Disneyland Paris. Her parents said they encourage Luna’s storytelling and noted her “natural flair for writing.”

“I am so happy about the prize that I won for my school, and I can't wait to experience the magic of Disneyland!” said Luna.