Newham pensioner Alex Morrison was the runaway winner of a poetry slam held in Stratford

Alex competed against poets from around the borough in Art on the Railings Poetry Slam, the first of its kind to be held, as the fitting end to a visual art project outside Stratford Park. Angela Daley, who helped put the project together, said: “Alex’s poetry gave a beautifully observed account - sensitive but very sharp - of the small things of everyday life.

“He captivated the audience with the quiet authority of his performance, getting the biggest cheer of the day.”

For his award-winning efforts, Alex won �75 worth of book tokens for the Newham Bookshop on Barking Road, Plaistow.

Created by Stratford resident Deborah Collins, who lives on the edge of the park, and funded by Newham Council’s ‘Let’s Get the Party Started’ scheme, Art on the Railings saw flat art by 33 local artists mounted on the perimeters of the Newham Live site for 15 days.

Newham Mayor Sir Robin Wales showed his support for the attraction when he dropped by.