A YOUNG boy from Burnham-on-Sea has had his talent for writing celebrated after he won an award at the Young Muslim Writers Awards 2016.

Rayan Rasool, seven, won a Young Muslim Writers Award for his short story, The Circus and The Robbery.

The Burnham boy was presented with his award on December 3 by Mohamed Ali, the chief executive and founder of Islam Channel.

The awards were part of a Muslim Hands project presented in association with the Yusuf Islam Foundation The Young Muslim Writers Awards was set up as a standalone competition for 5 to16-year-olds in 2010, following its success as part of Muslim Hands’ Muslim Writers Awards.

Rayan Rasool, said he was thrilled with his award.

He said: “I feel very happy and proud of myself. I wrote about a circus and a robbery, it was great fun.”

Rayan’s mother, Urooba Rasool sung her son’s praises and said he has always had an interest in writing. She said: “Rayan has always enjoyed writing.He writes a lot and is inspired to write by what he sees and what he does.

“This has been a long time coming for Rayan as he applied for the competition back in July but only got awarded quite recently. We are all really proud of him.”

Seventeen-year-old Syrian refugee, Muzoon Almellehan won a special recognition award for championing children’s rights to education at the event.

Muzoon fled with her family from the war-torn city of Daraa in 2013 spent much of her time in the Jordanian Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps going from home to home encouraging young people and their parents to continue their education. Muzoon was then resettled alongside her family in Newcastle, England, where she is completing her studies and works with the Malala Fund.

She said: “Education is my strength and my shield. It is everything. We need education to rebuild our country and to build a great future.”

Asmaa Islam Georgiou, chief executive at the Yusuf Islam Foundation congratulated the winners on their achievements.

He said: “Well done to all the young writers themselves for putting pen to paper and fingertips to keypad, and to their parents for supporting them.”