Bookworms at Toftwood Junior School have been celebrating the opening of their newly-revamped library.Youngsters now have a fun and brightly coloured environment in which to enjoy reading and on Tuesday they were joined by children's author Paul Shipton for the official opening.

Bookworms at Toftwood Junior School have been celebrating the opening of their newly-revamped library.

Youngsters now have a fun and brightly coloured environment in which to enjoy reading and on Tuesday they were joined by children's author Paul Shipton for the official opening.

The library, which used to be two rooms, was redesigned in the summer holidays to create a bigger working space.

Now whole classes are able to work together in the new room which features bright yellow bookshelves, colourful rugs and cushions.

Headteacher Alex Gelling said: 'The new library is about creating an inviting place where children can enjoy reading and escape with a book. This is especially important these days with all the time children spend on the internet.'

The library is already proving popular with the children.

Alyssa Kingston-Miles, 10, is one of the pupil librarians and she said it was now much more fun being in the library.

Fellow librarian Katie Francis, 11, said: 'I really like the new library. It is a lot better and it is encouraging more people to read.'

Mr Shipton, who lives in Cambridge and has written books including The Pig Scrolls and the Bug Muldoon series, said he thought the new library was brilliant.

He also spent Tuesday talking to the pupils about his books and helping them to create their own stories.

'We talked about how to get ideas, show character and settings, and stretch out a story. The children have just been terrific and very enthusiastic,' he said.

Katie Francis said Mr Shipton had inspired her and her classmates to get more excited about writing.