A Sussex schoolboy's poem has won a competition highlighting the new Human Rights Act which comes into force today.

Children nationwide wrote poems, drew pictures, performed dances and created web sites to express what they feel are the key elements of the new law.

Thousands of 11 to 18-year-olds put their thoughts on the Act into "creative interpretations" for a Citizenship Foundation-run competition, with winners selected in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The English winner was 11-year-old Alex Barry, from Hove Park School, Hove, for his poem called, simply, Human Rights.

He said he had worked hard on the poem, which had needed many revisions, but was pleased with scooping £5,000 of equipment for his school.

Alex said: "In the end I just wrote about human rights from my point of view."

Home Secretary Jack Straw said the poem, which can now be seen in full in advertisements, summed up perfectly the scope of the Act.

The final verse of Alex's poem reads:

"Life is very precious We all have much to give.

We must care for one another And must live and let live."