CHRISTMAS has come early to Inverclyde - after a local shop owner launched a festive competition with over four MONTHS to go to the big day.

The summer sun has been shining but Gourock business owner Trishy Gannon is already preparing for December 25 - and she is looking for budding young artists to lend a hand.

Trishy, who owns the No.26 gift shop in Kempock Street, is running a competition to find the best winter or festive drawing which she can make into Christmas cards and sell for charity.

There are no restrictions on the design and Trishy and her daughter Hope, eight, are hoping for lots of entries.

She said: “This is the first year we have run the competition.

"I thought about it last year but didn’t leave myself enough time to get it all organised.

“We love Christmas time here and host a Santa Claus Grotto and have a mailbox outside for letters to Santa.

“I wanted to do something else to get the children involved in what we think is the most wonderful time of the year.

“We just want people to use their imaginations and go wild creating a card design that feels Christmassy.”

There are three age categories in the competition, eight years and under, eight to 12 years and 12 to 16 years.

The winner will see their designs printed and sold in the shop and the runner-up will also receive a prize.

Pandora Business Supplies have offered to print the winning design and a percentage of the proceeds made will be donated to Children In Poverty Inverclyde.

Trishy said: “Many children locally, including my own, have benefited from the work that Children in Poverty Inverclyde do and this is just our way of giving something back.

“We are excited to see what designs everyone comes up with.”

Entries can he handed into the shop or posted before the October 31 deadline.