Thanet youngsters were treated to a panto star storytime after being crowned the county’s reading class of the year.

Willow Class from Northdown Primary School, in Margate, won the competition which was run as part of the home reading scheme Buster’s Book Club.

The contest was open to more than 100 schools currently using the scheme to help pupils foster a love of reading.

Pupils were treated to a visit from actress Georgia Rowland-Elliott, who is starring as Jill in the Theatre Royal Margate’s upcoming production of Jack and the Beanstalk.

She read the story of Jack and the Beanstalk from Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes collection.

The pupils also received free copies of cautionary eco tale The Curious Tale of the Dodo by Kent author Anthony Cooper.

Georgia said: “I have had a fantastic time meeting everyone at Northdown Primary School. It was so good to meet Willow Class and see how well they’ve been doing with their reading.”

Registration is now open for schools interested in taking part in Buster’s Book Club in 2019.

The scheme, which runs from January to December, sets each pupil a weekly reading target to achieve at home and prizes are awarded to the best or most improved classes as a whole.

Each participating school allocates a Reading Class of the Week Trophy while monthly inter-school competitions offer prizes such as tickets to leisure attractions and storyteller visits.

Buster’s Book Club is supported by organisations including Kent County Council, Medway Council, Little Cheyne Court, Kent Community Foundation, Golding Vision (part of Golding Homes), Orbit, Specsavers, Acorns Read and Grow, Crown Foundation, EduKit, Rotary, Wildwood, Diggerland, Planet Ice, Leeds Castle, and Hornby.

Schools have until December 1 to register for 2019 and all applications will go into a prize draw to win 400 books for the school library.

Visit www.BustersBookClub.co.uk or contact Kay Devine at kdevine@thekmgroup.co.uk or on 0844 264 0291.