TALENTED teenager Natalie Hallows is hoping a special poem will land her a meeting with Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Natalie, aged 11, is one of the finalists in a national competition offering the chance to interview Mr Blair at 10 Downing Street.

The competition asked children between the ages of seven and 11 to write about a sporting event of their choice and to say what they would ask the PM on a VIP visit to number 10.

Natalie is a pupil at Excalibur primary school, Alsager, and her 99-word poem was chosen as the best in the region from 150 entries.

''All the pupils in my class entered the competition, and I wrote about swimming,'' said Natalie.

''I also said if I met Mr Blair I would ask him which was his favourite sport and why.''

The competition is run by the National Football in the Community Scheme, supported by the National Literacy Trust, and Natalie will represent Crewe Alex FC in the final.

She will be taking her dad Richard and brother Joshua to see the Alex play at home next weekend with tickets she received from the club as the regional winner.

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