GRAND DESIGNS: Milliner Ann Gill, actor Ben Pearson, The Witham representative Sarah Gent and Castle Players director Dawn Trevor and her son Bertie with the winning Mad Hatter’s hat design
GRAND DESIGNS: Milliner Ann Gill, actor Ben Pearson, The Witham representative Sarah Gent and Castle Players director Dawn Trevor and her son Bertie with the winning Mad Hatter’s hat design

A TEN-YEAR-OLD’S clever design will be transformed into a Mad Hatter’s hat to be worn during The Castle Players’ annual summer production.

Mila Grace Johnson also won free tickets for her family to see the play Alice in Wonderland in the grounds of The Bowes Museum.

Children up to 11 were invited to take part in the competition with the entries being judged at The Witham on Thursday, June 13.

The judges were impressed with all the entries which they said reflected great knowledge of Alice in Wonderland.

But Mila’s stood out because of the detail and the way she presented designs for the front and back of the hat.

Professional milliner Ann Gill, who formed part of the judging panel, said: “I think she has shown a lot of detail and provided a colour chart to work from so someone should be able to recreate it. That is really good.”

Ben Pearson, who will be playing the part of the Mad Hatter and took part in the judging, will make the hat himself, despite never having made one before.

He said: “I just thought it would be nice to make the hat. It will be a fun thing to do.”

Of Mila’s design, he said: “That is way out there. There is a lot of detail that has gone into it.

“All of the entries have

clear references from the story.”