The complaint was made after Llinos Dafydd received the crown

Llinos Dafydd, 20, won the prize at the Welsh language youth festival.

After the crowning ceremony on 3 June organisers received a complaint she had used the excerpt without acknowledging it was a quote or naming the author.

Ms Dafydd, from Llandysul, said she did not want the crown "if there was the slightest doubt" about her victory.

Ms Dafydd had submitted three different forms of prose for the crown, which is one of the top prizes at the festival.

Si�n Eirian, Urdd director, said Ms Dafydd immediately confirmed that she had used the quoted extract and she drew the organisation's attention to two other extracts.

"Under the circumstances, she felt that this was inappropriate in a competition and, in fairness to the other competitors, she has decided not to keep the crown.

"We believe she has acted honourably in this respect and thank her for doing so."

The crown will now be offered to Gwenno Mair Davies of Aelwyd Llansannan, Conwy.

In a statement Ms Dafydd, who is a journalist, said: "I have been negligent and careless in using quotations from the work of authors, without acknowledging the fact.

"They were all extracts that inspired me to write my own work but I accept that I should have noted clearly they were quotations.

"I did not wish to keep an award of this nature if there was any doubt as to whether I should.