A LOVE story triggered by a cheeky car sticker and a tale of magic are winners in Oxfordshire Library Service’s Short Story Competition.

Burford School sixth form pupil Becky Davies won the Young Adult Category with her entry, Your Friendly Neighbourhood Bacon Lover.

And Jane Cammack, from Witney, captured the Adult prize with her story about The Talisman.

Oxford Mail:

Both stories will now be available for any library user to read for free on the Overdrive eBook service – the county’s digital library, which sits alongside its network of 43 libraries.

READ AGAIN: Oxford central library 'fit for 21st century'

Ms Davies, 16, and Ms Cammack will receive tablet computers kindly donated by Overdrive.

The competition, now in its fifth year, is all part of the county council’s commitment to thriving communities – helping people live safe, healthy lives and play an active part in their community.

Oxford Mail:

Lead librarian for Digital, Information and Learning Katharine Spackman said: “The judging panel enjoyed reading and debating the entries from many talented writers and there was particularly stiff competition this year. The winners should be doubly proud of their achievements.”

READ AGAIN: Drunken trio 'assaulted staff' at Westgate Library in Oxford

The Young Adult category is open to entrants aged between 11 and 17 (Year 7 upwards). Ms Davies won with a story inspired by a car covered in stickers.

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Bacon Lover is a tale of two university students who keep on exchanging notes before eventually falling in love.

Oxford Mail:

Ms Davies said: “I saw this car in Witney with lots of stickers on it and it just inspired me to write. In my story there’s a sticker on the car which says ‘You can’t buy happiness but you can buy a bacon sandwich’. Ellie is a vegetarian who obviously disagrees with the message so she leaves a note for James.

“They keep on leaving notes for each other throughout the story and eventually fall in love through these notes.”

READ MORE: Ulrika Jonsson cuts ribbon to open The Crown in South Moreton

Adult category winner Ms Cammack said her career as an opera singer inspired her entry The Talisman.

Oxford Mail:

She trained at the Royal College of Music before going on to sing at the English National Opera, Glyndebourne and La Scala.

Ms Cammack added: “The Talisman definitely comes from my days in the opera, with its references to legends and fairy-tales.

“To be honest I sent it off and then completely forgot about it.

“It’s fantastic because it’s judged by librarians – they’re involved with books all the time and are the real experts.”

Oxfordshire’s network of libraries includes Oxfordshire County Library at the Westgate Centre.

To download the stories visit oxfordshire.gov.uk/ebooks and select ‘Overdrive’.