New book chronicles cute puffin's adventures in town

The fun-filled adventures of a little puffin have been turned into a children's book, with some of the proceeds going towards helping the iconic birds.
By The Newsroom
Published 30th Apr 2016, 14:00 BST
Updated 4th May 2016, 15:06 BST
Arty Visits Amble The Friendliest Port.Arty Visits Amble The Friendliest Port.
Arty Visits Amble The Friendliest Port.

Arty Visits Amble The Friendliest Port has been created by Amble town councillor Helen Lewis and will help to promote the town’s fourth puffin festival, which takes place from May 28 to June 4.

The book is priced £4 and 50p from each copy will go towards supporting the puffins on nearby Coquet Island.

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Towards the end of last year, puffins were among four UK bird species now at risk of global extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species for birds.

Arty is a knitted puffin and is one of the festival’s mascots. The book follows his adventures in Amble, including stops at Paddlers Park and the Harbour Village

Helen said: “When it was decided to hold the first puffin festival in 2013, we felt we needed something to spark people’s interest. The idea of a mascot was mentioned to symbolise the festival and I responded with ‘maybe I could try to knit a puffin’ and so Arty the Arctic Puffin was born.

“Amble Town Council clerk Elaine Brown was putting facts about puffins on the internet and took a picture of Arty landing at the town’s Little Shore. This led to favourable comments and as word got around about Arty, he was invited to various places and businesses in the town and he was taken onto Coquet Island to meet the puffins there.

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“Over the last three years we have acquired many photographs of Arty’s escapades and we began to have the idea of a children’s book. I collated some photos and thought of wording suitable for youngsters to read for themselves or for adults to read the story to them. Working with a brilliant graphic designer has enabled the production of a delightful book in time for the puffin festival.”

After printing costs are covered and proceeds have gone to helping the puffins, the rest of the money will go towards supporting community events. The book is on sale now in various businesses in the town or it can be ordered by post for £4.75 from Helen A Lewis, 5 Meadowburn, Amble, NE65 0PH.