Girl, 6, chosen by artist as national event winner

A six-year-old has been selected as the winner of a national art competition to encourage families to go to local galleries.

Margot, from Haslemere in Surrey, was selected by Doug Hyde as the winner of Clarendon Fine Art's "Subtle Art of Family" competition after winning the local event.

The string of art galleries said it received more than 1,000 entries for the competition, which was launched as part of its initiative to try and change the view that art galleries may not be spaces for families.

"I said: "Did I really [win]?" And my daddy could not and my mummy could not believe it," Margot said.

As part of her victory, Margot and her family will receive an exclusive art consultation where they will be able to pick a art work worth up to £2,500.

Margot said she wanted to get a piece which reminded her of going on walks with her grandmother in Cornwall.

"When I was younger I couldn't stop painting," she said.

"I started when I was zero or one, and I just discovered it, and now I have filled up tonnes, and tonnes, and tonnes of notepads."

Katrina, Margot's mother, said she was "enormously proud" of her daughter.

Margot's father Nick added: "Margot actually loves art and she loves drawing and it's so nice to actually see her win a prize for doing something that she loves to do."

Gallery manager at Clarendon Fine Art in Haslemere, Linnet Bird, said Margot's piece stood out as it reminded her of Hyde's work because of its colour, vibrancy, and use of dogs.

Hyde said: "Margot's work was a piece I would enjoy seeing every day and never get bored of - a painting full of life, personality and genuine feeling."

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