Young residents from homelessness charity Save the Family were delighted to secure first place in the under 16s category of Something Beautiful, a competition to create a sculpture inspired by their garden.

With a budget of just £50 to spend, 14 of Save the Family's young people – resident at the charity's accommodation centre – worked every weekend to discuss, plan and create their winning entry.

Entitled 'A new beginning', the sculpture was developed using a dead tree found in the garden of Save the Family's Cotton Hall Farm property near Christleton.

Designed to reflect the young artists' home and community at Save the Family, the silver birch tree was painted white, adorned with mirror mosaics, decorated with silver leaves and transformed into a 'bright and shiny' masterpiece.

Costing under £20, the piece was judged on innovation, quality, artistic expression and use of materials.

The delighted winners collected their coveted certificate and prize – a trip to Norton Priory Museum and Gardens in Runcorn – from TV's Flying Gardener Chris Beardshaw at the RHS Tatton Flower Show.

'Something Beautiful', organised by Groundwork and Cheshire County Council, is part of Cheshire's Year of Gardens 08, a year-long initiative launched to celebrate the county's diverse and distinctive collection of beautiful gardens.

Save the Family Founder Edna Speed MBE said: "The children involved worked so hard every weekend for two months to finish the piece in time.

"I am extremely proud of them and their efforts. Their hard work certainly paid off!

"The sculpture truly reflects the environment at Save the Family. Twenty-four families live at the Save the Family accommodation centre and we planned to unite everyone by making something beautiful, bright and shiny, which echoes our surroundings."

Save the Family also has a long-established centre at Oakenholt, Flintshire.