"It's lovely to see the children so engaged"

Bill Gibb learns about a literary treasure trail that is proving a big hit with children.

- Bill Gibb

AS a child, books weren't a big part of life for Ashlee Colvin. It was only later that she discovered dyslexia was key to why she had never enjoyed reading.

As a teacher, Ashlee now has a burning passion to make sure children don't miss out on the joys of getting lost in a story.

She has gone about it in a fittingly novel fashion, by getting youngsters to follow a literary treasure trail to track down books she hid in her home town of Great Harwood, Lancashire.

Such was the success that other trails were quickly planned, and she could see the pleasure that discovering stories brought.

"Reading did not come naturally to me," mum-ofone Ashlee explains.

"I remember my mum spending hours with flash cards and fluorescent stars with words on them, making up games.

"I just wasn't ready for reading and it seemed like a chore.