A GROUP of school pupils have been inspired to pick up books as a reading initiative aims to fire their imaginations.

Pupils from Haughton Academy have been taking part in the Bookbuzz project this term.

Bookbuzz is a reading programme from BookTrust that aims to help schools inspire a love of reading in Year 7 and 8 students.

Participating schools give their students the opportunity to choose their own book to take home and keep from a list of 17 titles suitable for 11 to 13-year-olds.

A school spokesman said: "They are all carefully selected by a panel of experts to ensure quality and suitability.

"Teachers and support staff from Haughton read the shortlisted books over the summer holidays and then reviewed them to help our students to select the correct book for them.

"The books have arrived and it’s like Christmas has come early giving them out to our excited students."

For more information about the reading initiative visit www.booktrust.org.uk