Designed to encourage junior pupils to enjoy reading, his visit has already resulted in many more pupils taking books from the school library.

Marked in more than 100 countries, World Book Day has been designated by UNESCO as a global celebration encouraging children to explore the pleasures of books and reading.

This year, Longridge Towers has decided to hold a series of workshops leading up to the day itself to encourage pupils to experiment with a wider range of book styles.

A former teacher, Alan Gibbons is well known for his children's books which combine teaching on morals with gritty subject matter.

He used his epic fantasy 'Rise of the Blood Moon' and books from his popular 'Hell's Underground' series as the focus for these workshops.

School librarian, Andree Gettins, said: "Alan's style held the Year 1 and 2 pupils enthralled throughout, as he explained how he turns his ideas into stories before encouraging pupils to create their own poems and ghost stories.

"It is often harder to find a subject that encourages boys to read and I am delighted that since this visit, every boy in Form 2 has taken a book out of the school library," he added.