Rhyl youngster waits on the result of toy design competition

Jan 5 2009 By Justine Bailey

A CREATIVE Rhyl youngster will find out on Thursday if he has won a UK-wide competition to design a toy to be sold at Argos.

Jordan Emery, age nine, from Rhyl is one of the lucky few to be in the last 10 of the Argos Toy of the Future competition.

Hundreds of imaginative entries were received and it was up to the public to decide the winner with a vote taking place online at www.argostoycompetition.co.uk

The Argos ‘Toy of the Future’ competition asked children to submit their ideas for a future toy superstar. The winning entry could be the next Barbie, Rubik’s Cube or Lego. It will be developed and made into a real toy by one of the UK’s leading toy manufacturers and sold at Argos in time for Christmas 2009.

Graham Barnes, Trading Director for toys at Argos and one of the competition judges says: "We have been selling toys to the nation for 35 years this year and wanted to give the real experts – the kids that play with them - the chance to help us find a new top toy for the future. We have thoroughly enjoyed judging the entries, not just because we had so many but also because we have seen such great ideas".

Entries received ranged from board games to robots, soft toys to marble games, each invention as imaginative as the next. But, the toys chosen for the shortlist all have an extra element - something that reflects what is important to kids today - the environment, keeping fit and healthy, keeping safe on winter nights; even the tooth fairy.

As well as having their design made into a real toy the winner will also receive £500 of Argos vouchers to expand their own toy collection. The shortlisted runners-up will each receive an Argos Gift Card to the value of £50.