A SCHOOLGIRL has made it to the final three of a national contest to raise awareness of human rights issues.

Ele Saltmarsh beat 7,000 entrants from across the UK to make it to the finals of the Young Reporter category in the 2014 Amnesty Youth Awards.

As reported in last week’s Bridport News, the 17-year-old, who goes to Woodroffe School, wowed judges with her article on the forced eviction of the Sengwer, an indignious tribe of Kenya.

This week, it has been announced that she is in the final three of the awards and will attend a ceremony in London on April 30 when the overall winner will be announced.

Ele said: “It’s made me fantastically happy to become a finalist. One of my favourite feelings is knowing that there are like-minded people fighting for the same cause as you, and the hope and companionship that can come from that support is phenomenal.”

Dr RP Steward, headteacher at The Woodroffe School, said: “It is inspiring to see that our students are not only independent thinkers but are passionate and aware of situations happening in the wider world.”