A total of 9,611 children across the county took part in the annual Summer Reading Challenge in libraries this year.

The annual event encourages children to keep up the reading habit during the summer holidays.

A total of 5,329 children successfully completed the challenge to read six books by the end of the holiday period.

Nottinghamshire County Council Chairman Councillor Pauline Allan presented certificates at an awards event at Mansfield Library.

There was a guest appearance from author John Dougherty, writer of the Zeus series of books, Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face.

In Ashfield, 1,193 children took part, 90 more than in Mansfield.

A total of 103 volunteers aged 14 and above gave a total of 1,752 hours helping support children across the county to enrol and take part.

Councillor John Knight, Committee Chairman for Culture at Nottinghamshire County Council said: “We are delighted with the response to this year’s Summer Reading Challenge. We always ask families and individuals to comment about the scheme and once again have received some very positive responses.

“Examples include a parent who wrote that her daughter has moved up in her reading group at school as a result of taking part, while others praised how it helped to inspire children to read more and more during the holidays. We have had lots of great feedback which underlines the importance of the challenge.”

Highlights across the county include Retford Library which has seen an increasing number of children taking part in the challenge over the last three years with 388 children involved this year.

Stapleford Library had 267 children taking part this summer – an increase on the figure of 106 children who took part in 2013 when the library was in a temporary building while the new-look library was being refurbished; and a 20 per cent increase at Balderton Library with 206 starters this summer.

Elsewhere, 1,300 children signed up at West Bridgford Library, Newark Library reported 816 children taking part this year, Mansfield Library had 620 children involved, Kimberley Library had 155 children registered, with 143 participants at Ruddington Library.