YOUNG book lovers across Lancashire are invited to join a summer holiday reading challenge starting this Saturday (July 15).

The Lancashire Reading Journey welcomes children of any age to meet a colourful collection of characters such as the Pendle witch, dream fairies, word sucking vampire and Lancashire reading dragon, as they enjoy books of their choice and complete activities.

The free challenge aims to keep youngsters reading throughout the school holidays and runs until September 23. Children just need to visit a library to join in and receive an activity book, says organiser Lancashire County Council.

After completing tasks, bookworms will be rewarded with stickers and certificates. Any books can be read, including factual, fiction, poetry, jokes or picture books. Stories on CD also count, as do e-books and audio downloads.

This the challenge's third year, and around 7,000 readers take part each time.

Young people aged 12 to 24 also have the opportunity to volunteer at their local library, to support children on the Reading Journey and help with organising and running events. To sign up, visit http://bit.ly/readhack