A KENDAL teacher has released a book about the Eden town where he was brought up.

Anthony Wilcock was born in Kendal but moved to Penrith aged two, where he grew up and where The Pikeman of Beacon Hill is set.

He returned to Kendal, in 1999, as a teacher of DT at The Queen Katherine School.

He said: "My story is written for locals and visitors alike so that they may learn a little more about the history and heritage of Penrith and the surrounding district. The book is aimed at children aged 8 to 12 but it has been equally enjoyed by adults."

The book explores Penrith's past through the eyes of Eden Nook, an ordinary boy from Penrith who followed a badger-like creature into a solid wall of rock at the back of his grandmother's house.

There, he discovers a 'magical place of pikemen, Reivers and Romans - adventures beyond his wildest dreams.'

The reader discovers that pikemen are long-forgotten creatures that inhabit the hills and pikes of Penrith and the surrounding district.

They are guardians of the town that warn folk of impending danger by lighting beacons.

Mr Wilcock added: "The idea for this story first presented itself to me in the summer of 2011. I wanted to write something to encourage people, especially children, to see what Penrith and the area already has in abundance; history, charm and adventure. So I started to put together ideas for the book, incorporating numerous references to familiar local landmarks and historical events all wrapped-up with a smattering of Cumbrian dialect."

The Pikeman of Beacon Hill, published by Grosvenor House Publishing Ltd, is available for purchase at bookshops as well as on-line retailers.

It is priced at £5.99.