AN ULVERSTON dad with a passion for drawing is living his dream at the same time as raising cash for needy children.

Kenny Bower, a father-of-four, had always dreamed of illustrating a book and this week his picture book for children - Timmy Ted and the Chapel Island Adventure - will be published.

Kenny started drawing at an early age and created the Timmy Ted character while telling his children bedtime stories.

The story has evolved to include the legend of Chapel Island and Kenny’s illustrations depict Timmy and his pals’ adventures around Ulverston.

Kenny says: “When I did a topic about illustrating books I said that I wanted to be an illustrator. I remember my teacher telling me to go for it and that if I wanted it enough it would happen.

“When I had children I used to tell them the story of Timmy Ted at bedtime and they loved it.

“The story is based on the exploring I used to do as a boy around Ulverston and my fascination with the legend of Chapel Island and it is more or less the same as the one I told my children,” he said “My children loved it and so I started drawing the pictures about 15 years ago and it has gone from there. I love where I live and so setting the illustrations around Ulverston was an important part of the book. It is brilliant to see it in print.”

He said that his children - two girls and two boys aged between 12 and 19 - had been very supportive.

Dent-based Handstand Press will publish the book, in which Lindsay Staniforth has set the story to a verse.

The book went on sale on Monday and will be officially launched at the NSPCC Dickensian coffee morning in Ulverston on Saturday – and 50 pence from the sale of each book will be donated to Children In Need.

Kenny will be signing the book in the town’s Suttons bookshop on Saturday, December 4.