How Rafa the dog is helping boost reading skills

Alfie said reading to Rafa the Labrador was calm and fun

A waggy-tailed mentor is helping children take their reading to the next level as part of a library scheme.

Okehampton Library has been hosting "Read to Rafa" sessions for three years, giving young people the chance to read books to an eight-year-old labrador called Rafa on Tuesdays.

Staff at the library said the aim was to boost literacy skills and development and since starting up the project they had seen "huge progress".

Mel Thompson, Rafa's owner, said she thought her pet also enjoyed the sessions - which can be booked via the library - especially when the children picked a book with dogs in it.

Library assistant Kayleigh White said the scheme helped take away the feeling of judgement some children might have when learning to read.

"Reading to a dog is less intimidating than reading to a human being," she said.

"He doesn't judge, it doesn't matter if it takes you 20 minutes to read a page, he's there to provide that listening ear."

Seven-year-old Alfie, who has been coming to read to Rafa for several months, believes other children would get a lot out of doing the same.

"They'll get to be happy because they will be better readers, so then they will read books more and they will be cleverer because they get more facts," he said.

Rafa's owner said he was partial to being read books about dogs

Ms Thompson said it was amazing the progress the children had made in their reading and other areas of life.

"It increases their confidence, and they're talking to adults who aren't their parents," she said.

"I think the dog has a really relaxing element to it all and they feel far more relaxed."