A fresh chapter in the life of a village school began when its new library was officially opened.The library at Litcham Primary is to be known as the Marilyn Brocklehurst Library, after the woman who with her husband Simon runs the Norfolk Children's Book Centre at Alby.

A fresh chapter in the life of a village school began when its new library was officially opened.

The library at Litcham Primary is to be known as the Marilyn Brocklehurst Library, after the woman who with her husband Simon runs the Norfolk Children's Book Centre at Alby.

The bookshop has visited the school every term for the past two years.

The school team says Mrs Brocklehurst provides a wonderful service to the pupils, their parents and to Litcham Childcare, which is based at the school site at the children's centre.

He had been due to perform the opening but was unwell so her husband cut the ribbon to officially open the library, new staff room and reception area.

School headteacher Christine Watts said: “Marilyn loves to spread her enthusiasm for books and reading.”

Providing the extension has been part of the headteacher's vision since she arrived at Litcham Primary three years ago.

And she said the new library had greatly improved the learning environment not just for pupils but for staff.

“Being able to read well is crucial to academic success, and the school is in its second year of providing for its pupils a very successful reading recovery programme,” she added.

“The new library has provided a fine setting to achieve this, and is equipped with internet provision through an interactive whiteboard to support the learning that happens in the classroom for large and small groups.”

To mark the opening day, pupils were invited to dress as their favourite book characters, with prizes being awarded by the school Friends association.

The £10,000 funding to furnish the library was given by the Foyle Foundation, and the Friends were instrumental in obtaining this money.