A WELL-known local politician is to have his first novel published, 24 years after he first put pen to paper.

Ryedale District councillor Paul Andrews' The Loner centres on student life in Liverpool during the swinging 60s and draws on his own experiences.

“I studied law in the city and some of the incidents that I have written about actually happened, while others are pure invention,” he said.

Mr Andrews describes the book as a mixture of humour, adventure and romance surrounding student live in Liverpool and the Yorkshire Dales in the 1960s.

The novel follows the life of Mark, a nervous student with a fear of girls and heights.

He befriends Bob, who has a passion for potholing, and the two hatch a plan to overcome Mark’s fear of heights and win the girl of his dreams.

“It is a madcap adventure featuring a yacht race, horse riding and underground adventures, as well as parties and wild and riotous student incidents,” Mr Andrews added.

Mr Andrews, 62, a retired solicitor, first started the book in the 1980s but never got round to completing it.

“A couple of years ago I was looking for work so in my spare time I decided to complete the book and self-published it,” he said.

“I sold copies to family and friends and most readers told me they thought the book was a good read and well above average as a novel.

“This encouraged me to get The Loner publishes professionally.”

Mr Andrew’s novel has now been accepted by Matador Books and is expected to be available before Christmas.

Despite this success Mr Andrews has no immediate plans to write a second book.

“It is not easy writing a novel and it’s a one-man act,” he said.

“You invent your characters and then you have to think yourself into them which is quite emotionally exhausting. I will just be happy to get this one noticed and sold.”

* Visit www.the-loner.co.uk