Top illustrator Leslie Simpson has a simple piece of advice for children who enter the Telegraph & Argus Super City Drawing Competition.

"Just start drawing and let your mind take off," he said.

We have challenged children to produce pencil drawings of their vision of Bradford of the future.

The competition is being held in association with Bradford Council's Galleries and Museums, in the run-up to the Campaign for Drawing's Big Draw event at Cartwright Art Gallery Hall in Lister Park, on Saturday, October 8.

Mr Simpson, 75, of Ilkley, who has been painting since the age of five, acknowledged that the theme could be a testing challenge.

But he said: "I am really excited about the competition.

"When children are born they are learning all the time and have great imaginations and can draw, but as they get older they become serious and lose it."

He added: "It will be hard for the younger children because it is not like asking them to draw a duck or a tree.

"But the older children will be able to stretch their imaginations and broaden their horizons.

"If I was taking part in the competition I would just start drawing and let my mind take off.

"It would not be modernistic, it would be more general and picturesque, and would have to have ambience."

Mr Simpson is a portrait and landscape painter who has just completed his second book about the adventures of Ollie the Whimsey collie.

He decided to create the colourful sheepdog after his son Nick bought a border collie and named it Ollie after the Roman name for Ilkley, Ollicana.

The Big Draw, which has been developed with the Campaign for Drawing and Bradford Council, aims to enhance people's lives and ability through drawing and is backed by many famous artists including Bradford-born David Hockney.

The T&A's Super City Competition is divided into three age groups, under six, seven to 11, and 12 to 16. The winner of each category will receive £50 of drawing materials as well as other superb prizes.

The judging panel includes Bradford Bulls captain and keen amateur artist Robbie Paul, who has also urged children to enter.

Entries must be done in pencil in colour or black and white, on A4 size paper. A completed entry form must be stuck on the back.

They must be received by Friday, September 23, and all entrants must be available to attend the Big Draw at Cartwright Hall on Saturday, October 8, when the winners will be announced.