AN ‘UNINSPIRING and uncomfortable’ school library has been transformed into a woody wonderland for children.

Author Kate Jane Neal was at Carbeile Junior School in Torpoint to help open the exciting new space.

‘Reading pods’ have been created by local carpenter Clive Shorten - these are cubby holes where pupils can snuggle up and escape into a book.

Giant chairs, and a ‘caterpillar’ of colourful cushions made by parents and grandparents complete the cosy furnishings.

And a woodland-themed wall painted by staff and governors over the holidays completes the transformation.

The refurbishment of the library was made possible thanks to fundraising by the PTFA, non-uniform days held at the school, and donations from the community.

Some members of staff even ran the Plymouth half marathon to boost the total.

A spokesperson for Carbeile Junior School said: ’12 months ago, the school council identified that the library was uninspiring and uncomfortable.  As a result of this we made the library the focus for all fundraising events for the year.

‘It was a whole community effort to raise the money needed.’

Children were amazed when they first walked into their new library, said headteacher Pete Hamlyn.

‘To see the children’s faces when the library was unveiled was fantastic and the impact it has had on their reading, learning and overall enjoyment of books has made the project so worthwhile,’ he said.

‘This library is perfect evidence of what a community can do when it works together.’

As well as the make-over, much of the money raised over the past year has been spent on new books.

Cornwall Council’s Cognition and Learning advisor was ‘stunned’ by Carbeile’s library, said Mr Hamlyn, and it was highlighted to a team of teachers at a local conference.

The school will now be focusing on its next project: updating the computing equipment ‘to ensure that all the children are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the future’.