A FIRST-TIME author and an illustrator from Gwent are about the publish their first series of children’s books, despite a laptop containing large amounts of their work being stolen half way through the project.

Writer June Purnell and artist Darren Nailer began working on the Travelling Laarmas of Laramee back in 2004.

Mrs Purnell, of Maindee, Newport, was inspired to write the four stories after taking her two sons to see lamas at a petting farm, and decided she wanted her books to give kids something a little bit different.

“One of the things I have found with children’s books is that there is not enough words. I wanted to give children a funny way of putting words together, so the books are written in rhyming couplets.”

She brought Chepstow illustrator Darren Nailer on board the project, and the pair began developing art work to go with the stories.

But after two years of hard work, they suffered a huge set back when Mr Nailer's laptop was stolen, leaving the illustrator no choice but to go back to square one.

"It had all the illustrations on it, it was awful."

Newport firm AJM Computer Services donated a new laptop, but the pair then struggled to find a publisher for the series. After five years searching, Mrs Purnell took matters into her own hands and published the four titles using online publisher Lulu.

The books are now available on more than 80 websites, and a third of the price of every book will go to charity Action for Children.

For more information visit www.travellinglaarmasoflaramee.co.uk.