AN OXFORD author was left “gobsmacked” after football legend David Beckham revealed he’s reading one of her books to his daughter.

Teresa Heapy’s self-penned children’s book Very Little Cinderella was published in February, the second book from her Very Little series.

The mum-of-three author, from Florence Park in Oxford, was left amazed after the ex-Manchester United and England star told his 6.5m Instagram followers on Tuesday he was reading the book to his three-year-old daughter Harper before bedtime.

Beckham, who also played for Real Madrid, posted a picture of the book’s cover with the message: “Bedtime Stories. Sweet dreams Harper Seven.”

Ms Heapy said: “I was completely gobsmacked.

“It’s amazing to think him or Victoria [David Beckham’s wife] bought it and read it.

“I’m hoping he likes it otherwise he wouldn’t have taken a picture.”

The 45-year-old – who has lived in Florence Park for about 17 years – decided to put pen to paper after seeing her daughter Ella, then just two, playing with Dr Who Top Trumps cards in 2010.

She said one of the cards had a picture of a wolf on it, which spurred her to think about how children would react when faced with grizzly werewolves.

Three years later Beaumont Street-based publisher David Fickling Books released her first book Very Little Red Riding Hood, which follows the story of Red Riding Hood, who sets off to her grandmother’s for a sleepover and will not let anything stand in her way.

In March, the book won Best Picture Book in the Oxfordshire Book Awards and also picked up the What’s the Story prize in the Coventry Inspiration Book Awards, which will be presented next month.

Ms Heapy said: “I have got lots of ideas that are inspired by my children.

“I have notebooks everywhere where I right down things that happen or things that they say.

“You have to write the stories that come from you rather than aiming it at somebody in particular.

“You have to write from your heart and then hope other people really like it.”

The author released her second children’s picture book Very Little Cinderella in February, to coincide with the release of the Disney remake of the classic movie.

She said juggling being a full-time author and looking after Daniel, 12, Ben 10, and Ella, seven, could be “tricky” at times but she feels lucky she can manage both.

Ms Heapy added: “It’s a bit of a challenge and I often am up working in the evenings when the children have gone to bed.

“I can be thinking about books in my head when I’m picking up the kids.”

She said it was important parents continued to read to their children despite youngsters often being absorbed with technology.

Ms Heapy added: “My husband and I still read with our children and it’s a time we really cherish and enjoy. It’s a very special time of the day.”