SCHOOLCHILDREN from across Ramsbottom and Bury took part in a book reviewing competition to celebrate World Book Day.

Book review champion was 12-year-old Ben Fairhurst who impressed judges with his interesting critique on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Ben, who attends Ramsbottom Homework Club, won a book token which will be presented to him by Diana Sorrigan, principal librarian, at Ramsbottom Library on Thursday, April 22, at 4pm.

The competition was set up to help children to use their initiative in choosing and reading a book, to understand it and be able to talk about it.

Council bosses said the number of entries received was overwhelming and the standard of work was impressive.

Staff members who judged the competition were pleased with the quality of work produced by the children.

David Driver, who is part of the Assistant Library Learning Support team at Tottington Library, said: "Through the competition we intended to develop children's interest in reading by becoming literary critics for themselves."