PRIMARY school pupils have written and illustrated an adventure story with a popular children’s author from Rodborough.

Students from Minchinhampton CoE Primary Academy created the novel alongside John Dougherty, who is best known for his Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face series.

Entitled A Portal Through Place, the book is the sequel to A Portal Through Time, which was produced by John and the students in 2017.

It follows the protagonist, a pig on a motorbike and side car who is actually a fairy in disguise, on his travels around the world.

The new book was launched at the school’s summer fair on Saturday, June 15.

John, who is patron of reading at the primary school, wrote the beginning and end of the book, and each class in the school contributed a chapter.

Every child at the school was involved in the process.

Minchinhampton's headteacher Nick Moss said: “This book, like the one before it, has given each and every one of our pupils a small but very significant sense of what it is to be an author."

During the writing process, funds from the publication of the first book, plus help from the school’s PTA, has paid for writing workshops with John, art workshops with local artist Galina Gardiner, as well as those all important printing costs.

Galina said: “I'd like to mention just what a joy it was to teach pupils with so much enthusiasm in wanting to do justice to the stories they had created.

"The children's enthusiasm shines through in the quality and imagination of the illustrations they produced.”

Praise for the first book has also come from well-known children’s author Maz Evans, who wrote Who Let the Gods Out.

Maz said: "Judging by A Portal Through Time, the future of literature is quite safe in these brilliant young hands."

A Portal Through Place is out now with copies of the book on sale through Stroud Bookshop, the Yellow Lighted Bookshop in Nailsworth, and Octavia's in Cirencester.