THREE youngsters have been rewarded for completing a summer reading scheme.

Organised by North Yorkshire County Council, the annual Summer Reading Challenge encourages children to read a number of books over the school holidays.

The Challenge is aimed at children aged four to 11, encouraging them to read six library books over the summer holiday period in conjunction with their local library. This year the theme was Wild World Heroes.

At Pickering library three children in the three age groups of the scheme were chosen at random to receive a £15 book token.

A spokesperson said: “This was given by Pickering Library Volunteer Group in memory of Ian Newman who was a founder of the volunteer group some four years ago, and was very keep on literacy in children.

“His family donated a sum of money to the Group, and it was decided to give a £15 book token to a child, picked at random from those who completed the Challenge.”