BRIDGWATER Library announced its support for a new campaign to get parents and carers to spend ten minutes reading to their children each day.

The Just Read campaign, started by TV’s Good Morning Britain, saw the library giving away 50 copies of bestselling book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, to children on Saturday, September 13.

As well as the free giveaway children were also able to games and story time at the event.

Bridgwater Library’s Anne Nicklen said: “We were really pleased with it and we had a fantastic time.

“We read the first chapter of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid and had a preview of the new book – we were frustrated because we wanted to know what happened next.”

Bridgwater Library is one of 200 libraries across the UK taking part in the Just Read giveaway which is supported by national charity The Reading Agency and children’s publisher Puffin.

Cllr David Hall, Somerset County Council’s cabinet member for business, inward investment and policy, said: “These books will help the lucky children develop their reading skills and also their imagination and creativity.

“I hope they enjoy the books and come back to visit the library soon.”

This new campaign comes as a coalition of leading charities, teachers, parents and businesses called Read On. Get On.

The coalition has launched a national mission to support parents and teachers to get all 11-year-olds reading to a good standard by 2025.

It recently published a report that revealed hundreds of thousands of children are leaving school without adequate reading skills and that one in seven children aged eight to 11 years do not own a book of their own at home.