BRADFORD on Avon library was far from silent over the weekend as over 250 children, a record number, signed up for the Summer Reading Challenge, part of the town’s first-ever Mini Book Festival.

Seven authors gave young children, teenagers and even adults advice on how to develop their writing skills in a number of sold-out workshops and panels.

Author Alex Campbell couldn’t believe the response. She said: “The whole event went incredibly well and we’ve already had feedback from people asking if we are doing the event next year,” she added. “There’s a real buzz going on at the moment about the event because it was free and hopefully the word will go out about how great it was for the children.”

The challenge encourages children to read six books during the summer holidays in return for prizes, a certificate and a medal.

Ms Campbell along with authors Jeremy Strong, Catherine Bruton (aka Cate Shearwater), Fleur Hitchcock, Maudie Smith and Anna Wilson hoped the event would show local schoolchildren how they could become a writer in the future.

Ms Campbell said: “We all agreed that it seemed like a great idea to create an event with the library to celebrate all things books.

"I think sometimes in school there isn’t enough time to keep hold of the imagination and that is the most precious part of childhood.

“If you can get children attached to the love of reading and writing then it is something that stays with them for life and it also gives them skills for the future.”

Children were also able to illustrate their own stories by building a model village with mini houses and castles that followed an ongoing story throughout the day.

Visit summerreadingchallenge.org.uk for more details.