I am delighted to announce the following competition to coincide with the launch of my new children's book....

CHILDREN are being given the chance to win their hard-working mums and dads a romantic treat by providing proof that they have tidied their bedrooms.

Every parent knows what it's like to try to get their children to keep their bedrooms tidy.

So the launch of a new children's book, about a little girl who won't tidy her bedroom, is being marked with a competition aimed at encouraging youngsters to clear up their mess.

Messy Bessie Clutterbuck is the fifth book in the Monstrous Morals series, written by Northern Echo editor Peter Barron and illustrated by Darlington artist Paul Wick.

The books, written in comical rhyme, are aimed at helping parents to scare their children out of their bad habits.

Messy Bessie's bedroom looks like a bomb's hit it and she ends up in the mess of her life at a terrifying place known as Devil's Dump before learning her lesson.

The Monstrous Morals team have teamed up with the stylish Houndgate Townhouse in Darlington to offer children the chance to win their parents an overnight stay in one of the hotel's luxury bedrooms, with champagne on arrival.

All children have to do to have a chance of winning is send 'before and after' photographs of their bedrooms to show how much tidying up has been done. The best will be judged by hotel director Natalie Cooper.

Messy Bessie Clutterbuck is launched on December 13, with a writing workshop for children at the library in Crown Street, Darlington, between 10.30am and 11.30am, followed by a book-signing at Waterstone's in Darlington's Cornmill Centre between 12 and 2pm.

Competition entries can be sent by email to author Peter Barron at peter.barron@nne.co.uk, via Twitter @echopeterbarron, and on Facebook. The winner will also receive a signed box-set of the five Monstrous Morals books published so far: Fartin' Martin Sidebottom, Black-toothed Ruth Black, Fidget Bridget Wrigglesworth, Nose-picking Nicholas Pickering, and Messy Bessie Clutterbuck.

For further information, go to monstrousmorals.co.uk.