A CHILDREN'S storyteller from Darlington has been nominated as a national reading champion.

Actor Robin Ellwood began telling stories to his young daughter in 1988.

He was asked by a teacher friend to read to children at Gurney Pease Primary School three years ago, and that is when the storytelling started in earnest.

Mr Ellwood said: "It was so successful that I decided it was something I could do more, and the storytelling side of things has really taken off in a big way lately.

"I go into schools, nurseries and crches in the North-East and tell stories from new authors, traditional stories and stories from other countries."

Dorothy Massey and Jo Colley, tutors at Darlington College of Technology, were so impressed with his skills that they forwarded his name to the Family Literacy Trust.

The trust is compiling a list of reading champions to promote positive role models.

Mr Ellwood has joined an exclusive list which includes footballers Rio Ferdinand and Newcastle's Warren Barton, and well-known authors and poets.