THOUSANDS of youngsters have taken part in the third St Austell Festival of Children’s Literature.

A total of 3,500 children in Cornwall were involved in the schools day on the first day of the annual festival.

The children were from 10 schools in the St Austell, Bodmin and Newquay areas.

The second day of the two-day festival saw another 1,000 people taking part in a family day in the centre of St Austell.

The festival featured events with authors and illustrators and was made possible by more than 30 volunteers.

Author Emma Carroll said of the festival: “It was fabulous. You’re an amazing team.”

A spokesperson for the festival said: “The third annual St Austell Festival of Children’s Literature on June 13-14 has once again proved to be a joyful triumph, bringing stories, illustration and inspiration to thousands of children and families across Cornwall.

“With over 4,500 people attending across the schools day and Saturday’s public events, the festival has cemented its place as a much-loved highlight of the regional calendar.”

The festival is run by a community interest company (CIC) led by four directors, Carclaze Primary School headteacher Simon Pollard, Reading Rocks founder Heather Wright, primary school teacher Amy Enever and Restormel Arts chair Phil Webb.

Heather said: “We’re thrilled that the third year of the St Austell Festival of Children’s Literature has been such a resounding success, bringing our vision of a joyful, accessible celebration of reading to life.

“At a time when the National Literacy Trust’s latest report shows a continued decline in the number of children choosing to read for pleasure, this festival feels more vital than ever.

“We’re so grateful for the families who joined us - hearing that children left buzzing about books, reading and writing is exactly why we do this.”