Jarvis's Mr Santa inspires park's Christmas trail

The sixth Christmas Story Trail has been extended to run until 31 December

A park's annual festive trail has been inspired this year by the book Mr Santa, written by award-winning children's author Jarvis.

The Christmas Story Trail in Calderstones Park in Liverpool has been staged by The Reader, a charity which promotes literature and reading aloud.

Now in its sixth year, the event has been extended to run every Saturday and Sunday from 29 November until 31 December.

Young bookworms will also have the chance to meet the Manchester author at the Mansion House on 7 December, where he will read from the book and hold a draw-a-long inspired by his festive story.

Jarvis's previous works include The Boy with Flowers in His Hair, Follow Me, Flo!, Bird and Bear, Tropical Terry, Mrs Mole, I'm Home! and Alan's Big, Scary Teeth.

The author said he was "thrilled" the Christmas Story Trail was based on his book, which was published last year.

It tells the story of an inquisitive little girl who has a face-to-face encounter with Santa in her own house.

This becomes a golden opportunity to ask all the questions she is desperate to find out.

He said Calderstones Park was "a magical place to visit and it's exciting to have Mr Santa be a part of that magic".

The self-led trail opens on Saturday with bookable time slots from 10:00 until 14:30 GMT.

It lasts approximately an hour and includes an interactive map trail with 12 clues inspired by the book for children of all ages to complete throughout the park.

Jarvis says he is thrilled his book is the inspiration for the Christmas Story Trail

Participants also receive a copy of Mr Santa to take home.

Every Friday in December there will also be a special storyhunter-led Mini Christmas Trail, for toddlers and young children aged one to four.

The Reader said all proceeds from the cost of tickets to the trail and the Meet the Author event will help the charity continue to support those who need it most through its shared reading groups.

The groups see volunteers and staff bring people together to read great stories and poems which it said created "powerful moments of connection".

They read with children, families and adults in libraries and community spaces, people in care homes, people with physical and mental health conditions, those coping with or recovering from addiction and people in the criminal justice system.