A HEART-WARMING new children’s Christmas book by a former Weekly News reporter can be personalised to put young readers at the centre of the story.

All profits from ‘The Big Christmas Rescue’ will support the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s lifesaving work. Written by RNLI senior editor Rory Stamp, who used to live in Bridgwater, the buyer can select the name, gender and skin tone of the child at the heart of the festive story when they order it from the charity’s website.

Rory, 37, who is based at RNLI headquarters in Poole, has written many stories of heroism and drama over the ten years he’s worked for the charity.

“I wrote the story in the build-up to Christmas 2013 and was able to try it out on the most honest and beautiful critics I could possibly have found – my daughters Lucie and Hattie,” he said.

“It is wonderful to see this book being well-loved by kids, introducing them to the RNLI as well as raising money to help keep volunteer lifeboat crews equipped, trained and safe.”

The story is set on a wet and windy Christmas Eve night and most children are tucked up in bed.

But when Santa crashes his sleigh in the sea, volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew members go to the rescue – with the help of a very special child.

Charlie Conroy, who is lifeboat operations manager at the Westonsuper- Mare station, said: “It is a lovely book and it will make an ideal gift for young children.

This Christmas, volunteer lifeboat crew members will be on call, ready to drop everything and save lives at sea when the pager goes off.”

To order the book, priced at £9.95, click on RNLISHOP.org/BigRescue – the last order date for guaranteed delivery before Christmas is Monday (December 15).