This knight wields a mighty... pen!

TEACHER Richard Knight with some of his pupils

Few schools can boast a successful children’s author in their midst — but Coppice Primary School is one of them.

Teacher Richard Knight is becoming adept at producing page-turners and, with his third novel about to be published and a fourth in the pipeline, has been nominated for a host of awards.

Richard used his books - “Winter Shadow” and “The Court Painter’s Apprentice” — to stage drama sessions in the Burlington Avenue school as it celebrated National Book Week.

Richard says pupils take his fame in their stride: “I’ve worked here a long time and the children know me well — so they’re pretty matter of fact about my writing,” he said.

“In fact when the head teacher announced in assembly we would be using ‘our very own author’ during book week, they were looking around to see who it was.”

Richard, who lives in Greenfield, stepped down as Coppice deputy head when his writing took off, but still teaches part time.

“I love teaching and writing and am lucky enough to be able to do both,” he said.