A dyslexic woman has had her first novel published aged 86.

Mary Derriman, of Carrington Way, Bocking, wrote numerous stories for children and women throughout her life but has only just taken the plunge to see one of her romance novels, first penned in the 1970s, made into a book.

The former farm labourer said that she had made many attempts over the years to get her stories published but she felt that nobody wanted to know because her manuscripts were riddled with spelling errors.

Miss Derriman said: “I did try to get this story published but I can’t spell for toffee."

See this week's Braintree and Witham Times, out on Thursday, for the full story.