A BESTSELLING author revisited the classes she once led as an English teacher nearly 40 years ago.

When Julia Donaldson visited Brighton College Pre Prep School she sat down in the building she used to teach in to talk to children about her books.

The creator of The Gruffalo worked in the Eastern Road building when it was part of the St Mary's Hall school in the 1970s before it was bought by Brighton College.

This time she made the trip from her home in Steyning to talk to children about her books and the craft of writing them.

They sang, acted out scenes together and she explained to the children how her books, which have included the popular Stick Man and Room on the Broom, were made.

Julia said: "It’s lovely to sing with the children, it really beings the stories to life for them. And it feels very nice to be back in this building after all these years. After I was a teacher, I actually started out as a writer for songs for children’s television. Then I got a call from a publisher saying they would like to turn my Gruffalo song into a book and it all went from there. That was 200 books ago.

"I really enjoy being able to read to the children when I visit schools too - as I don’t read my stories to my own grandchildren in case they start fidgeting and I take offence."