Hundreds of youngsters, parents, and guests celebrated a successful drive to increase children’s literacy.

Thirteen schools in the Witham area got behind MP Priti Patel’s Get Witham Reading initiative, after the town was ranked 398 out of 442 areas in the UK for Key Stage Two English.

Pupils who took part celebrated the project’s one year anniversary with reading activities and dressing up at Powers Hall Junior School in Witham.

Ms Patel, Tim Coulson - Essex County Council’s director of education and learning - and councillors, governors and community leaders also attended the event, involving 300 people.