HEALTH visitor Carol Wyatt is in line for a top award . . . after writing a book on nits!

The 32-year-old nurse and mum-of-two has put together a storybook for children to dispel myths about the age old problem of head lice.

Entitled Princess Cleanhair and the Headlouse Family it is the culmination of two years of hard work, and is a light-hearted new way of educating both children and adults about lice control.

It conveys messages that appear so far to have been misunderstood by both parents and children.

Carol's work is one of five nominations in the community group section of the Health Challenge Awards staged by the North West health authorities to reward and publicise organisations who have found innovative ways of keeping people healthy.

Winners, to be announced next week, will receive prizes of up to £5,000 to develop their programmes.

A delighted Carol said: "I am so proud and excited that my work seems to be taking off at last."

Carol started nursing on her 18th birthday and loves her present post working with the people of Tyldesley.

The idea for her story was mooted after her research showed that few previous health promotion initiatives had been taken on board -- and many were misunderstood.

She said: "I had done several things like working with hairdressers and going into schools, but I didn't seem to be getting a wide enough audience.

"I thought I would write a fun story not just aimed at children, but for children to read to their parents and help to educate them.

"If children are made aware about nits the stigma can be reduced. It really is still there.

"One myth is that lice only live in dirty hair and that's not true, but adults seem to believe that and pass it on to the children.

"Another fable is that they jump from head to head -- they don't, they walk.

"We could get on top of the problem once and for all if all parents checked their children's heads once a week. The story is about a family of head lice with characters like Princess Cleanhair, Prince Dirtyhair and Jumping Gemma who get the true facts across in a fun way."

The 32-page soft back full colour book has a forward by Dr Robert Aston, consultant in communicable diseases for the Wigan and Bolton Health Authority.

It has been funded by a grant from the Early Years and Child Care Partnership and the Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust.

Carol, who lives in Bolton, said: "It is the first time I have done any writing. I got the idea two years ago.

"I wrote the words and a Wigan and Leigh College student Karen Caley did the illustrations. I put it in for two nursing awards last year but nothing happened. Perseverance seems to have paid off at last and I'm really pleased with the result."

A run of 10,000 copies of the book is expected and it will be placed in schools, libraries and clinics.

Carol added: "It was a solo effort apart from the illustrations, and with the backing of Dr Aston I hope to have a hit on my hands. I hope it will go nationwide, I'm keeping my fingers crossed."