IAN HISLOP certainly had news for the lucky winners of a unique town challenge involving a much-loved windmill.

The editor of Private Eye and a panellist on TV's Have I Got News for You, handed out prizes in a competition to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Cranbrook Windmill Association.

Earlier this year, the association threw down a challenge to young and old alike to mark the silver anniversary in either music, photography or art.

Entries came in from the town’s primary school, Angley School A Sports College and Cranbrook School as well as from individuals.

The youngest children depicted the mill in a variety of forms including collages, sculptures and paintings while older children put pen to paper to write poems or essays. Adults took part in a photographic competition.

The Vestry Hall walls and exhibition boards were covered in colourful works of art on Saturday.

Mr Hislop, who lives on the outskirts of the town, said: “While we were looking in the area before we bought our home the family all looked round the windmill and we were really impressed. It is a wonderful landmark for the town.”

He said he was also impressed by the many entries, and in particular the music and DVD featuring the mill, put together by pupils from Cranbrook School.

Association chairman Tony Jones presented Mr Hislop with life membership to the mill.

The winners of the competition were:

Key Stage 1 artwork: Kiaya Bailey. Key Stage 2: Olivia Creswell. Angley literature: Naomi Graham. Photographs: Emma Freeman. They were each presented with vouchers worth £30.

The headteacher of Cranbrook School, Angela Daley, accepted her school’s prize for the music.