A BESTSELLING author read sections of his book to fans as helped to raise funds for a primary school.

Howard Linskey, whose latest book No Name Lane will be released by Penguin next March, was at Cleves Cross Primary School in Ferryhill, County Durham, where he spoke about being a writer and answered questions.

Mr Linskey lived in Ferryhill, County Durham, for ten years but is not a former pupil of the school.

Staff at the school who knew of his Ferryhill connection invited him to give the talk last Saturday, and it raised £300 to send pupils from the school to a pantomime.

Mr Linskey, whose books include the David Blake trilogy, The Dead, The Damage and The Drop, said: “It went very well. It was really nice and I even met some old school friends who I haven’t seen for nearly 30-years.

“I signed a lot of books and we managed to raise some money for the school.”

No Name Lane is Mr Linskey’s first book not to feature David Blake.

It revolves round a tabloid journalist on leave back in his native North-East and a detective who team up to solve a mystery.

Jackie Whittaker, a teaching assistant at the school, said: “It was fantastic and a really, really good night.

“Howard was really nervous before the event but he was fun and it was amazing to hear what he had to say.”