AN author has fought off some of the biggest names in children’s books to scoop a prestigious award.

Sunderland writer, David Crosby, is celebrating success after bagging the Bishop’s Stortford Picture Book Award.

His debut picture book, Pirates vs. Monsters, pitted him against a host of big hitters including the UK’s biggest selling author, Julia Donaldson, of The Gruffalo fame.

But in an odds-defying triumph, Mr Crosby and the book’s illustrator Lee Cosgrove were crowned winners at a virtual ceremony earlier this morning.

“I still can’t believe it,” said the author, 40, from Ryhope. “When I saw the other names on the shortlist my first reaction was to feel very proud to be in such esteemed company, and my second reaction was that I didn’t fancy our chances of winning.

“As well as Julia I was up against the likes of Rob Biddulph, Tom Percival and Michelle Robinson. It’s only a few years since I was reading their books to my son so it was an honour to even be on the same shortlist as them."

Pirates vs. Monsters, published by Maverick Publishing, is out now priced £7.99 in paperback from the Waterstones website and all the usual places.