CHILDREN'S favourite Alan Gibbons dropped into St Gregory's High School to share writing tips with a group of year seven pupils.

The author, who has been writing children's books for 12 years, was happy to pass on some of his knowledge to pupils working on fantasy writing. He has been a teacher for 16 years and makes numerous visits to schools and libraries, colleges and education conferences.

The winner of the Blue Peter Book Award The book I couldn't put down' for his best-selling story Shadow of the Minotaur in 2000, Alan was also shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal in 2001.

Now students at the Old Hall school should have no problem getting the creative juices flowing if they follow his lead.