CHRISTMAS can be magical and it can be stressful – but it can also be a laugh: just ask the British Young Cartoonist of the Year.

Jasper Ashton-Nelson, who is 13, recently won the under-18s category of the annual competition run by the British Cartoonists’ Association. He entered a cartoon about a toothbrush and a loo roll – a classic example of toilet humour – and tickled a judging panel made up of some of Britain’s most eminent cartoonists.

Freelance cartoonist Martin Rowson, chairman of the British Cartoonists’ Association, said the judges had spread all the entries out in a room at a London pub to see which one made them laugh the most.

He said: “What Jasper’s cartoon did was appeal to the fundamentally puerile streak in all cartoonists. Essentially, we all love toilet humour and this cartoon was funny and made us all laugh out loud.”

Jasper attended the awards ceremony, along with dad Tony, mum Alison and older brother Jake, at the Mall Galleries in London.

“It was really, really good,” said Jasper who is a pupil at Heaton Manor School in Newcastle.

“They gave me a big poster and book with all the cartoonists’ signatures in them.

“They said my cartoon was really funny and just to carry on doing it.”

Jasper met veteran funnyman Barry Cryer and many of the judging panel which included cartoonists from all the national newspapers and satirical magazine Private Eye. The next day he went with his family to look around the Cartoon Museum.

Jasper said he hopes to be a comic book creator when he leaves school.

Tickled by all sorts of Christmas possibilities, Jasper has drawn a special seasonal cartoon for Journal readers.