RETIRED teacher Norah MacKinnon joined a writing circle earlier this year to regain confidence after a stroke.

As a result Norah, 82, is publishing a book of mainly humorous poems later this month.

The former business studies mistress at Woolston High School found the courses at Mee Brow Community Centre, Culcheth, worked wonders to help her regain her speech and on November 20 between 10.30am and noon she launches her work "The Organ Blower and Other poems" there.

Norah started writing after she retired 22 years ago and needed to find an interest after undergoing open heart surgery. She only took it up seriously after becoming more tied to the house after giving up driving.

Norah, of Warrington Road, Culcheth, whose late husband, William, was a former headteacher at Boothstown Methodist School and Newchurch CP School, said: "I only went to the group to get my confidence back. I couldn't drive and could just about walk there. I started in May and some of the members said I ought to get some of my work published, so I did. I did it myself because I didn't want to wait much longer, I thought I might be dead!"

Norah, whose parents owned Dootson's Confectionery shop in Chapel Street, which was run her her brother and then son, John, until 1970 has also written poems for her church and a story about her wartime life in the Wrens in Oban, Scotland, where she met her husband who had been torpedoed twice while in the Merchant Navy.

A mother of two sons she said: "Most of the works in the 72 page book are funny, but I have thrown a few serious ones in for good measure."