A CHILDREN’S cartoon series created by a florist from Shepperdine has celebrated the release of its first book with a special signing in Oldbury.

More than 200 people came to the signing event at the Anchor Inn on Saturday, September 17, for the Flora’s World storybook, the creation of florist and illustrator Lorna Page and Wallace and Gromit writer Bob Baker.

The story about Flora, a young florist runs a shop in the high street of a small market town, is partly inspired on Lorna’s time running a florist in Thornbury, with the book branching off plans to get the cartoon on television.

As well as the book, visitors took great interest in a number of original illustrations that were on show for the event.

“It was a really great, fun day and I hope everyone enjoyed themselves as much as I did,” said Lorna, who put a little doodle in each book as well as a signature.

“It was much busier than I thought it would be, with plenty of families coming to the signing and staying for some lunch.”

She added: “It was really good to hear some feedback from the children, and a nice surprise to hear that adults were enjoying it too, I had hoped it would have something for everyone.

“We have already had people asking when we might be doing the next book, which we were excited to tell them will be next year.”