TOP children's authors Michael Morpurgo and Cressida Cowell will be at Westonbirt Arboretum this weekend for a new book festival dedicated to nature.

TV presenters Jess French, Emma Carroll and Michelle Paver, along with illustrators Martin Brown, Rachel Bright, Yuval Zommer, Katz Cowley and William Grill are taking part in Wild Wonder.

Young bookworms can meet the stars and take part in a range of activities based on stories set and around nature.

There will be story time sessions and character costume appearances by The Gruffalo and Little Nutbrown Hare from Guess How Much I Love You.

Workshops, performances and activities with trails, book signings and craft sessions set amongst the trees are all on the programme between 9am and 5pm on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Arboretum event manager Martyn Reeves said: “We hope this festival will make some dreams come true through the chance to meet renowned authors, to encourage an interest in books and even inspire some budding children’s authors and illustrators to find out what it takes to publish an award-winning book.”

If your child is a budding writer, reader or simply loves the outdoors, this year’s festival, with a stellar cast of children’s authors and illustrators, is set to inspire us all about stories, drawing and the wonder of the written word.

Places need to be booked in advance. Visit: forestryengland.uk/westonbirt/wild-wonder for details and to book