WHEN Helen Skelton started writing down her memories of the Amazon she simply wanted it to be something to pass on to her grandchildren.

Now thousands of youngsters are set to read about the former Blue Peter presenter's adventures after signing a book deal with Penguin Random House.

Helen's children's story, Amy Wild: Amazon Summer, is about a girl who faces spiders, poisonous plants and legends of evil spirits.

But fact is mixed with fiction because the Stockton Heath resident's tale is based on her experiences in 2010 when she kayaked across South America along the Amazon River for Sport Relief.

"I never really set out to do it like that," said Helen, who is expecting a baby with her husband Warrington Wolves' Richie Myler.

"It’s weird. It’s like asking people to read your diary so now it's a bit more nerve-wracking."

"I always wanted to write a book and I’ve been really lucky in my job to get to go to some pretty cool places.

So for me it was a way of writing about it for my grandkids and documenting it.

"I went out to the Amazon to make a TV series and it was all on the river but actually we were there for two and half months so around that we were spending time in the towns and in the jungle.

"Everything I’ve written about is what I saw. We saw piranhas, dolphins, sloths and caimans every day and there were huge tarantulas and snakes – you see all that stuff.

"I wanted to write about something that was real but at the same time I wanted people to be excited about what is out there and think about exploring the world.

"I didn’t want to make up a fantasy land. I wanted the readers to have somewhere they could look at on a map and think: ‘Maybe I will go there’."

That is not to say Helen's adventure was all plain sailing.

The 31-year-old added: "I was getting seasick and heat exhaustion and was covered with blisters and bites and boils. It wasn’t the most attractive time of my life.

"The scariest thing was potentially failing. There were days when the storms were so bad they were pushing me backwards and I was thinking I’ll never get to the end.

"We were living on a boat in the jungle for two months and at times we were totally cut off so we were like a little family together in this weird experience

"That’s what made it because if something’s hard but you get on with everyone and can have a laugh rather than cry you can turn a negative into a positive."

Helen will be signing copies of her book at Waterstones at Golden Square on Saturday and she told Weekend she is excited but daunted to have the same publisher as Jacqueline Wilson.

"Jacqueline Wilson is an utter legend," said Helen, who is the second woman ever to complete the Namibian Ultra-Marathon.

"She’s published more than 100 books and is responsible for a generation of people reading and I have the same publisher as her.

"I’ve met Jacqueline and what made it really scary for me was when she asked for a copy of my book.

"David Walliams tweeted me saying he was looking forward to reading it too.

"Because of Blue Peter I’ve met loads of great authors and I just wanted to write a book, got the chance and had a go.

"I’m lucky but in my job I just think you may as well make the most of each opportunity."

Helen was inspired by her parents to fall in love with stories and she hopes her novels will make sure future generations do the same.

She added: "My dad used to read Tom Sawyer and Beatrix Potter and they’re some of my favourite books.

"I remember Lord of the Flies really captured my imagination and made me really want to read on so I wanted an element of that."

Amazon Summer took Helen two years to write during a particularly busy time in her life.

Helen, who covered the London 2012 Olympics, is now part of the team at BBC Sport, BT Sport and Countryfile.

She said: "It can be really quiet for a couple of weeks and then you can get a phone call and be away for 16 or 17 days so it was hard to plan.

"In that time we’ve also moved to Warrington, we’ve been doing up a house, we got married and had loads of big life things going on.

"Now I’ve had to give up my office for the baby so I don’t know where I’m going to write the second book now!

"Rich has been desperate to be a dad since I first met him. We’re both really close to our families.

"I loved having a brother growing up and I know he loved having brothers and sisters so hopefully we’ll have more than one. We’d like to have a big family."

Helen hopes to set the second volume of her Amy Wild series in Antarctica.

It will recall her adventure when the presenter became the first person to reach the South Pole by bicycle.

Helen's exploits during Blue Peter included a tightrope walk between the towers of Battersea Power Station in 2011 for Comic Relief.

She also had an audience with the Queen during Blue Peter's 50th anniversary and during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Helen added: "It was amazing. She asked me if I do my own stunts..."

- Helen Skelton will be at Waterstones in Golden Square this Saturday at 2.30pm to sign copies of Amy Wild: Amazon Jungle. For more information call Waterstones on 658484.

DAVID MORGAN