A 10-year-old from Suffolk has won a day working at the iconic children’s comic The Beano – after suggesting it could be more girl-friendly.

Ipswich Star: Ten year old Beano cartoonist Robin Fitzgerald from LeistonTen year old Beano cartoonist Robin Fitzgerald from Leiston (Image: Archant)

Robin FitzGerald, of Valley Road, Leiston, won the title of Guest Joke Writer for the popular British comic in a national competition.

She stood out from the other contestants because in her entry she stressed the fact that girls might not be fully catered for in the comic – which has made stars of Dennis the Menace, the Bash Street Kids and Minnie the Minx.

Robin’s mum, Clare Elwes, said: “The whole experience was so beyond our expectations. The Beano staff could not have been nicer or more supportive and as a parent I feel that whatever Robin ends up doing in her life, this experience will have had a really positive impact.”

It is the first time The Beano has run the Dream Job Beano Joke Writer competition which allowed Robin and Clare to spend a day at the offices in Dundee in May. Robin said: “It was really fun, when I went to the offices the people were really, really nice and very funny – they told lots of jokes.”

Ipswich Star: A classic edition of the Beano comicA classic edition of the Beano comic

She added that the experience, during which she even got to put her cartoonist skills to the test, was the best day of her life.

As part of her bid to make Beano more girl-friendly, Robin created her own feisty female character called Robin the Rebel,

Her rebellious alter ego is paired with a sidekick, Crazee Mazee, who is based on their family dog, Maisy.

The pair impressed The Beano team so much that they have included them in tomorrow’s edition of the magazine, along with Robin’s jokes.

Ipswich Star: Dennis the MenaceDennis the Menace (Image: Archant)

The beano fanatic left Dundee with bags full goodies and has stayed in touch with the editor, Mike Stirling.

Ms Elwes said: “She spent part of the day with one of the editors signing off each page before it went to press she got the full experience from drawing-board to finish.

“The most exciting part was being taken down to the archives to see every single Beano which had ever been printed.”