TALK OF marmalade-producing cows, windy babies and de-striping zebras had a group of Brighton schoolchildren rolling in the aisles this week as comedian and award-winning author James Campbell took to the stage.

The comedian, who has performed children’s stand-up around the world and wrote the Boy Face series of books, visited Brighton College Prep School.

He was trying to encourage pupils to explore their own writing skills – although he coupled this nicely with a torrent of funny stories about his own writing career.

Years 4 and 5 were treated to 75 minutes of helpless laughter.

James explained that children often come up with their best ideas for stories while making up games in the playground.

He said boredom is often the best ingredient for dreaming up great plot ideas and that he only started writing when he finally admitted to himself that he didn’t need a posh pen, a room with a view of a mountain and nice stationary to get going.

The writer has been entertaining children with his storytelling in schools for the last 21 years, ever since he volunteered in an infant school, his unique humour instantly being a hit with the children.

He has since visited 2,500 schools.

His talks and jokes work to avoid the traditional panto pattern of jokes for adults and jokes for kids.

He said: “That panto double-entendre where the kid doesn’t get it and the adults does and the kid asks the adult why the adults are laughing only to be told that he will understand when he is older – I hate that.

“My visits are all about encouraging the kids’ creativity and getting them to write and read.

“People say that children have loads of distractions these days so don’t spend as much time thinking about books and writing but let’s face it, when I was young I don’t think children were that different.

“My message, which I try to get across by making them laugh a lot, is that anyone can be a writer and just because you don’t know any writers doesn’t mean you can’t grow up to be one.”

Brighton College Prep School is situated at Walpole Road, Brighton.

For more details visit www.brightoncollege.org.uk/prep-school.