TWO new anthologies of writing by children from schools in East Lancashire are being launched in Burnley as part of National Children's Book Week.

The anthologies have been put together by Mid Pennine Arts from work submitted by more than 7,000 children, from 57 schools, for last autumn's Children's Literature Festival.

Children's writer Malorie Blackman, winner of the Lancashire Children's Book of the Year Award 2002 for her best-selling novel Noughts and Crosses, has been commissioned to write a new short story for the anthologies.

Illustrator Vanessa Card, whose work appears in the anthologies, will be presenting young writers with their copies at the launch.

The event takes place at the Mid-Pennine Gallery, in Yorke Street, Burnley, on Monday, October 6, at 7pm.