East Londoners can be a talkative bunch and so it proved when youngsters from Newham and Barking and Dagenham faced each other in a words battle.

Durning Hall in Forest Gate hosted a debating competition.

The aim was to celebrate and showcase the hard work and achievement of the young participants while demonstrating the communication, presentation and teamwork skills that they acquired in public speaking workshops.

Newham with their team of Nana Poku and Giffty Nwabueze, both 15, along with Francoise Malu, eight, and Bennit Malu, 11, came out top talkers.