More than 1,000 schoolchildren are getting the chance to meet author Helen Rutter at Wells Festival of Literature — and take home a signed book for £2. The volunteer-run festival is funding transport for more than 30 schools to attend its annual Year 6 event at Cedars Hall.

Rutter, a former actor and stand-up comedian, is delivering four sessions during festival week. Her appearances combine stories about becoming a writer with opportunities for pupils to help decide what her characters should do next.

Her books include the award-winning debut The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh and her new interactive title, The Game Changers. During the sessions, she explained how and why she wrote her stories, before introducing her audiences to a mind-reading trick.

There was also advice for children hoping to write stories of their own. Her message was: "Don't get it right, get it written."

Pupils queued afterwards to buy signed copies of her books. Festival subsidies brought the price down to £2 each, alongside the funding provided to get schools to the venue.

The schools programme is an annual part of Wells Festival of Literature. Previous visiting authors have included Sam Sedgman, who wrote The Clockwork Conspiracy, and Lindsay Galvin, author of Darwin's Dragons.

More local stories

• Street Thursday Market to close just before Christmas
• Wells Santander raided by masked men who damaged cash machine

Subscribe to the free Wells Nub News newsletter Get the biggest Wells stories straight to your inbox.