Dedicated members of a writing group that meets weekly at Dorney's Palmer Arms pub have swept the board at this year's Berkshire Music and Arts Festival.

Slough Writers meet most Monday nights at the Palmer Arms and four of them have won prizes at the festival, held at Denefield School in Tilehurst.

Robert Kibble won first prize (the Nina Whyle Cup) in the short story competition with his story A Fallen Soldier of the Great War, in which a woman finally finds out what her grandfather did to earn his medal.

Michael Pearcy took second place with his story Number Forty-Seven, a comedy in which a young husband arranges a surprise first anniversary celebration in a nuclear bunker. He also received a commended award for his futuristic environmental story A Letter to My Grandson. This is the third year running that he has been among the winners.

Terry Adlam’s short story Meticulously Planned about a son returning an artefact his late father stole from the British Museum received a commended award.

Elaine Simmonds won third place in the poetry competition with her entry Catching Pollen in a Beijing Spring – ironically, a poem about writer’s block.

Berkshire Music and Arts is a not-for-profit organisation established in 2013 to encourage and nurture the talent of young, local musicians, actors and writers.

As well as entering the adult section of the creative writing class, Slough Writers is also a sponsor of the festival. It provides and awards the Slough Writers Cup for the best short story in the junior section.

For more information on Slough Writers, visit www.sloughwriters.org.uk.