KYRON BROMLEY and Stacey Griffiths (pictured) are positively the tops.

They each epitomise just what we were looking for when we launched our Young and Positive competition.

And both were so convincing as role models for the young people of Gwent that we simply could not choose between them.

Your Argus in conjunction with Consignia offered a prize of £500 for the teenager who most represented what we were looking for - a young person who was making their parents proud by the way they were leading their life.

We decided to launch the competition earlier this year as a counterbalance to stories in the media portraying negative images of young people.We thought it was time to ensure the other side of young people was presented to the public.

So we decided to split the prize equally between them - giving them £250 each. We had no idea how this competition would catch the imagination of people all across Gwent.

Worthy entries flooded into the Argus offices making the the judging of the competition very difficult.

However, the Argus has finally come to a decision to split the prize between 16-year-old Stacey from Duffryn and 13-year-old Kyron of Alway, both of Newport.

Stacey was put forward for her hard work for the Duffryn Youth Forum.

Youth worker Carol Gell nominated the youngster because: "She had such a positive and refreshing attitude."

On receiving the award Stacey said: "I was shocked because I didn't think I was going to win at all. I didn't think I would have a chance with all those people entering.

"A lot of people are already involved, but I think it might encourage more boys to do it. "I've always been involved since I was a teenager. When the youth club was taken away we did nothing for a year and it was boring, but then we started up the Youth Forum."

She said she had since been offered a chance to spend a week's work experience with Newport Assembly Member Rosemary Butler.

Kyron was chosen as a winner for turning his life around by taking up boxing at the Alway Amateur Boxing Club.

Nominated by his proud trainer, Vic McStay, Kyron left behind a life of getting into trouble when he first laced up his gloves and eventually became a Welsh champion despite breaking his right wrist just months before.

His mother, Leanne, admitted that it was either "boxing or Borstal" for Kyron. Kyron said: "I was shocked when I found out I'd won, but I'm really pleased now. I think more boys should get involved because it gets them off the streets.

"It helped me and I prefer the way I am now."

Argus editor Gerry Keighley said judging the entrants had been "very difficult".

He added: "I am delighted with response and I would like to see more positive stories about young people, and I hope our readers will continue to let us know about them."