A nine-year-old girl is in shock after being the youngest finalist to win first place at the 2016 Bananagrams challenge.

On Saturday April 30, Anna Bauss, who lives in Muswell Hill, was delighted at beating 25,000 children to win a Top Banana trophy and a £1,000 cheque for her school at London’s Magic Circle venue.

The challenge sees children take part in interactive games, to help them develop language skills through playing and learning with words.

Anna, who attends Rhodes Avenue Primary School in Wood Green, said: “It feels really exciting, I actually can’t believe it. I came here today for a fun day out, not thinking I would win, but I did and it’s amazing.

“I’d never played the game before my school started running the BANANAGRAMS Challenge at lunchtimes but I really love it and I prepared for the final by learning lots of two-letter words. All my friends have been really supportive, and I can’t wait to get back to school to tell them all about it.”

BANANAGRAMS’ inventor, Rena Nathanson, said: “For someone so young, and who’s only been playing BANANAGRAMS for such a short period of time, Anna is quite the expert. She’s definitely been doing her homework and played some great words in her final winning grid. It’s hard to believe she’s only nine.”