Three-day-old baby boy helps mum scoop Albert Street poetry prize

ON Thursday she was lying in hospital recovering from giving birth to a bouncing baby boy – and by the weekend she was the proud winner of the Albert Street poetry competition.
Nell Butler, who gave birth to a baby boy – weiging 8lbs 10oz and yet to be named – joined her neighbours at a street party in the Camden Town terrace – and was thrilled to discover her neighbour, the author Dame Beryl Bainbridge, had judged her effort to be the winner.
And to make her effort all the more impressive, she wrote it while she was in labour.
She said: “Apart from giving birth three days ago, it is the best thing that’s happened to me since I won the bunnyhop race at nursery.”
Liam Currie, who won the Under-12’s poetry award, said “I felt nervous, but it was really exciting getting an award from a famous author. Maybe I’ll keep writing now.”
Dame Beryl then turned her critical eye to pick a winner in the street’s best pet contest. Oscar the Dachshund, owned by Luke Griggs, walked away with the top prize.
Meanwhile visitors, including BBC radio broadcaster Robert Elms, tucked into home made burgers and cakes, took in an array of bric-a-brac stalls and played traditional games including an egg and spoon race, a three-legged race, tug-of-war and Viennese street waltzes.
Dame Beryl was joined by her son-in-law, actor Mick Ford who appeared in cult film Scum and the Richard E Grant film How To Get Ahead In Advertising.
His children ran off with all the racing prizes, and were called by organisers “the speediest children the street has ever seen.” Co-organiser Kate Pahl said: “We started the festival again last year because we used to hear stories about the old Albert Street carnival and thought it would be great to start up again.
“It’s just a low-key, non-commercial event for the whole family, as well as for the people on the street without kids.”