SIMON Bennett, former journalist and the owner of Kirkby Stephen’s award-winning Augill Castle, bed and breakfast retreat, will have his first book published next month.

‘Undressed for Dinner’ is an account of his family’s journey to the castle – and some of the many colourful characters they encountered along the way.

Simon and his wife Wendy turned their back on London for a new country life and bought Augill Castle in 1997. The book is published by Hayloft and costs £15.