A woman who won a pub competition as a child will finally receive her prize, 25 years on.

Jeanette Smith’s drawing was selected as the new sign for The Five Bells tavern in Eastry in 1999, following a contest at her primary school.

However, the six-year-old was never handed her reward, a £10 book token.

But this has now been rectified by the current pub management, after Ms Smith told her wedding photographer about her childhood success, as they walked past the inn on her big day.

Ms Smith, now 31, says: “When the pub changed hands 16 years ago, I thought it wasn't ever going to happen and I used to joke about this unpaid debt.”

“The publicans when I was a child were probably just too busy and never got round to it.

“I mentioned all this to our photographer as I walked past the pub on my wedding day.

“Amused by the story, he posted about it online, and the new management of the pub has immediately got back in touch to offer the belated book token for the redesign. I thought this was all very funny.”

On Saturday, September 21, Ms Smith, who now lives in London and is head of fundraising at a charity, married Robin Price at St Mary’s Church in Eastry, and she passed the pub on her big day.

Thanks to wedding snapper Olly Knight, the book token is now on its way to her.

The sign is not the only link she has with the pub, having grown up only a couple of doors down from it.

The former Sir Roger Manwood School’s pupil was almost born there too as her mother Lesley went into labour during a quiz night in 1993.

However husband Mick promptly took her to hospital in Canterbury for the birth.

Ms Smith’s design is used by the pub to this day.