A special Black History Month flag will be flown above the town hall in October after its 13-year-old creator swept away 75 other designs.

Malaika Parillon Langlais Baron, who attends The Urswick School, joined five runners-up at the town hall on Thursday last week to pick up awards for their creativity.

She said: “I have African roots, and my design is inspired by my own experience of growing up within a black community and culture in Hackney.”

Jonathan Beasley, her school’s head of art, said: “It is a real moment of pride for us to see our student’s creativity and sense of culture and history being celebrated.”

Deputy mayor Anntoinette Bramble, who helped judge the competition, added: “I am always amazed by the creativity of the borough’s young people.”