A South Tottenham schoolgirl has been shortlisted for a national journalism award run by Amnesty International.

Tara Okeke, from the City of London School for Girls, was among ten people shortlisted in her category from more than 7,000 entrants with her article on Guantanamo Bay.

The 16-year-old progressed in the Young Human Rights Reporter of the Year category, and will now have her work judged by a panel of editors, authors and industry professionals.

Tara said she was inspired by John Grisham’s feature on Guantanamo Bay, published last year in the New York Times.

She added: “Finding out I had been shortlisted was highly surreal, but also quite numbing - I didn’t jump, dance or cry as I always imagined I would do at such a time.

“I suppose I can attribute my unconventional reaction to being overwhelmed by all that Amnesty International stands for, fights for and whom they represent - the work done, and the number of lives changed, is incredible.

“I’m just humbled to think my words may have the potential to resonate and change things too.”