A top illustrator who drew the award-winning children’s book The Gruffalo is coming to Shrewsbury.

Axel Schaeffler will be recreating some of his work at The Gateway Arts Centre for the Shrewsbury Children’s Bookfest which runs from April 20 to May 3.

The Gruffalo will also be making an appearance on May 1 at 10.30am and will visit St Alkmund’s Square to meet youngsters later that day.

The announcement comes as the full line-up of authors has been revealed. New to the event is an awards ceremony at Theatre Severn on April 30 aimed at honouring top writers.

And young people will have the chance to meet four of this year’s World Book Day authors in the next few weeks.

Kaye Umansky, Philip Ardagh, Chris Higgins and Sophie McKenzie, authors of some of the specially produced £1 books published on World Book Day today will all be visiting Shrewsbury this month and over the May Bank Holiday weekend to take part in events organised by Shrewsbury Children’s Bookfest.

Sophie Peach, chairman of the organising committee, said: “We have a fabulous line-up of top children’s authors visiting Shrewsbury for the May Bookfest and also coming to visit local schools during our Authors in Schools Week in a couple of weeks’ time.”

At Christmas a film was shown on BBC 1 of the book with a cast of voices that included Robbie Coltrane as the Gruffalo. Tickets for the Gruffalo event, suitable for children aged four and older, go on sale on March 15 at a cost of £4. For details and tickets visit www.shrewsburybookfest.co.uk