A BURNHAM-on-Sea grandmother said it is a 'surreal feeling' to have had her first children's book published nearly 20 years after she started writing it.

Ann Poole of South Street started writing the book when her grandson was a young boy and said she is thrilled with how well her book, Beach Friends is being received.

Mrs Poole said: "After 22 years of moving around I found myself on my own with two of my sons and back in my home town.

"At the time my eldest son was living in Leicester and my first grandson Jack was about to be born.

"When Jack was older he would come to visit me by the sea so this is how the idea of the book came about.

"I was working nights at the time so in my breaks, or a few quiet moments, I started to write down ideas for the stories.

"It's taken me nearly 20 years to get these stories into print but with encouragement from friends I have now got there."

The children's book is about five creatures children are likely to come across on a trip to the beach and was inspired by visits Mrs Poole took down Burnham-on-Sea beach with her grandson when he was a young boy.

"My grandson is 23 now and having worked on this book and getting it published nearly 20 years later is a really great feeling.

"It is being sold online at a variety of well known online stores and I have been to Waterstones in Weston-super-Mare who also seem interested in it.

"It is so lovely to see my book in print after nearly 20 years of writing it.

"I am thrilled to see it is being so well received, it is quite a surreal feeling."

Mrs Pooles book is on sale online at a number of major book retailers including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Waterstones and can also be bought directly from the book's publisher, New Generation.

The book costs £8.99 for the paperback edition and £14.99 for a hardback edition.

For more information or to buy the book visit newgeneration-publishing.com.