More than 140 people are expected to attend a north Norfolk school's first ever reading festival today to celebrate literacy, creativity and reading for pleasure.

Aylsham High School's English teacher Jo Bates, was instrumental in organising the event and praised the support of her colleagues, family and the local community for helping to bring the different elements of the festival together.

She said: 'Aylsham is known to promote literacy and creativeness and the idea of the festival was to get the family together and reading together.'

Four authors are taking part in today's activities and kicking-off the fun this morning, with a theatrical reading, was author and creator of the Bewilderwood series, Tom Blofeld.

Mr Blofeld was helped by Mildred the crocklebog and after the reading ran a creative workshop to encourage children to create their own characters and stories.

He is also joined by author and illustrator Dave Shelton, who will be running a workshop for people passionate about comic books, poet Molly Naylor and author Alexander Gordon Smith.

Ms Bates described the day as a 'feast of talent' with something for everyone to enjoy.

'Something like this helps to develop people's imaginations and that's what this was all about.'

In 2012 the school achieved its most successful GCSE results, particularly in English, and The Reading Festival is the start of a new long-term commitment from the school to bring literature to life for its students.

? The last workshop takes place at 4pm today. For more information about the event visit www.thereadingfestival.co.uk.