A GROUP of pupils in year seven at University Academy Keighley (UAK) attended the Children’s Literature Festival at Broughton Hall, Skipton.

The pupils were taken to the event by the school's staff governor Aziz Rafiq and pastoral team member Nadia Majid.

Aziz said: “We wanted to give the children the opportunity of a lifetime to meet some of their favourite authors, with the aim of inspiring them to read more and maybe write their own stories.

“The event was very well organised, fun and informative.”

Children were involved in workshops with Chris Bradford, author of the Young Samurai series, and Maz Evans author of the Who let the Gods Out? series.

The UAK pupils also met Marcus Alexander creator of the fantasy series Keeper of the Realms, as well as award winning author and public speaker Kathryn Evans.

A spokesman for UAK said: "Our students had lots of fun during the workshop with author Maz Evans. Aziz was challenged to the ‘Who let the Gods Out?' quiz – after which Aziz was given the title of ‘Goddess of Wisdom’ for the day!

"The festival left the students inspired and proud to be representing the academy. A parent later thanked us for providing the opportunity and said the event was so inspiring her child had already started to write his own story."

The festival is the first of its kind to be held in Yorkshire, and was organised by Trevor Wilson, from Silsden-based group Authors Abroad.