YOUNGSTERS will soon be dipping into their own treasure chest to explore the magic of reading.

Over the next year, all three-year-olds in Hartlepool will receive a free Treasure Box at nursery, as Hartlepool Borough Council extends its successful Bookstart scheme to involve children in reading at an early age.

The Treasure Boxes, paid for by the Government under the National Bookstart Programme, are packed with books, as well as pens and bookplates.

Called the Bookstart Extended Scheme, the boxes will be launched at Hartlepool Central Library on National Bookstart Day, on Friday.

Hartlepool pre-school children and their parents and carers are invited to attend and join the fun at the free event, which will include craft sessions and Mr Olly's magic show.

The reading scheme will build on the success of Hartlepool's Bookstart scheme, in which babies at the age of nine months are given an introduction to books pack, and the Bookstart Plus scheme, in which toddlers, aged about 18 months, receive a reading pack from their health visitor.

The Bookstart Extended Scheme will be led by Hartlepool council's Bookstart support worker, Fiona Marshall-Bell, who will be working closely with libraries and nurseries.

Ms Marshall-Bell said: "Books are packed with adventures and discoveries, so what better way to help youngsters explore reading than through their very own Treasure Box.

"There has never been a better or more exciting time for young people in Hartlepool to enjoy reading.

"We are committed to giving every child the opportunity and encouragement to develop a lifelong love of books."