A 14-year-old student was crowned the west Essex regional champion of the world’s largest youth speaking competition last night.

Mia Ali, a student from Roding Valley High School in Loughton, was awarded a trophy and £100 gift certificate for winning the Jack Petchey “Speak Out” Challenge.

The youngster impressed the judges with her speech entitled “Twin” talking about the highs and lows of having a twin.

Speaking about her victory, Miss Ali said: “This is such a shock and a wonderful experience all at the same time.

“I never thought I would win this as there were so many other talented people from all the other schools.

“Thank you Speakers Trust and Jack Petchey for such an amazing opportunity. One I will remember always.”

The final sixteen Year 10 students out of 560 entrants across Essex and London battled it out for first place at Roding Valley High School.

Second place went to Libby Simmons, 14, from St Martin’s School, Brentwood, with their speech “The Power of Positivity”

Charlotte Copeman, 15, from Roding Valley High School came third with a speech entitled " The Choice."

The “Speak Out” Challenge is supported and funded by the Jack Petchey Foundation and designed and delivered by Speakers Trust, the UK’s leading public speaking charity.

Students were given the skills and the confidence to develop and deliver a competition speech on a topic that is important to them.

Chairman of Epping Forest District Council, Cllr Richard Bassett, presented the awards and said, “Listening to all of the speakers tonight was such an honour and how the judges ever decided on the winners I will never know. They were all so good.

“Quite simply young people’s views on life are just amazing, they have so much to give the world if we would only take time to listen to them. Thank you to the Jack Petchey Foundation and the Speakers Trust for all you do.”

Miss Ali will now proceed to the semi-finals in a bid for the grand final at the Cambridge Theatre in Covent Garden on Monday, July 1.