A WRITING competition for seven- to 14-year-olds on the theme of the dodo has been launched by Oxford University.

The contest has been sponsored by the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, the Story Museum, The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities, Oxford University and Blackwell’s.

The remains of the dodo are one of the greatest treasures at the Museum of Natural History in Parks Road and earlier this year the dodo display, including a cast of the museum’s dried dodo head, travelled from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

The 3ft flightless Dodo, a native of Mauritius, was hunted by sailors and died out in the 1660s.

Contestants are being told: “In celebration of this peculiar creature we would like to invite you to write a poem or short story about the dodo for our writing competition.”

Prizes will be awarded at an event at the museum on November 18 and the shortlisted and winning pieces will be featured on the University’s website.

One entry per person of up to 500 words is accepted and the contest is free to enter.

Entry will be in two age categories – seven to 10 and 11 to 14.

First prizes will be £25 of Blackwell’s vouchers, a Museum of Natural History dodo toy, and a signed copy of a book by Jasper Fforde, who is one of the judges.

Email torch@humanities.ox.ac.uk for more information.