THE life and work of one of the world’s best loved authors is the focus of a special exhibition at her North-East home town.

Dame Catherine Cookson wrote almost 100 books, which sold more than 123 million copies, and her novels were translated into at least 20 languages.

To mark the 20th anniversary of her death, The Word, National Centre for the Written Word, South Shields, is launching Wor Catherine: Fact and Fiction.

The free exhibition, which opens on Monday, will look back at the life of the woman who rose from poverty to become the most widely read author in Britain.

Along with details of her life Wor Catherine: Fact and Fiction will feature quizzes and some of Catherine Cookson’s written material, loaned by Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums.

Visitors will also be able to view a short film made by Unified Media and written by The Word’s writer in residence, Tom Kelly.

The film portrays a young Catherine coming back to South Shields, reflecting on her life in the town, seeing the places she has written about and discovering what has changed about South Shields and what has remained as it was.

Tom said: “No-one brought an era, and an area, to life quite like Catherine Cookson. I’ve often wondered what she would think if she was to see it now.”