IT WAS through the wardrobe, down the rabbit hole and straight on to Hogwarts and the Shire yesterday as an Oxford school was transformed into a book lovers’ paradise.

Hundreds descended on Cheney School, Headington, for the first ever Iris Festival of Imagined Worlds, which celebrated the spellbinding works of fantasy authors.

The school was decorated to represent four main worlds based on the creations of J.R.R.Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Lewis Carroll and J.K. Rowling.

Bookworms could walk through the different fictional worlds as they explored the site, each one containing decorations, workshops, stalls, and activities themed on the novels and their author.

More than 30 organisations took part, running activities and stalls with visitors able to do everything from try on costumes from Lord of the Rings and handle museum artefacts connected to magic and myth to operating a robot Greek monster and testing their seeking skills on the Quidditch pitch.

Characters from well-known fantasy novels mingled with the crowds, and there was even a Mad Hatters’ Tea Party cafe where people could try Wonderland-inspired food and drink.

The event also explored how ancient myths and histories have often inspired more modern novels and several award-winning authors and illustrators discussed their own inspirations.

They included Melinda Salisbury, author of The Sin Eater’s Daughter, which was the best-selling Young Adult debut novel of 2015, as well as prolific illustrator Danny Flynn, who has created hundreds of science fiction, fantasy and horror covers including for the works of Arthur C Clarke and Isaac Asimov.

The festival was organised by The Iris Project, an Oxford educational charity which aims to introduce the languages and culture of the ancient world to UK state schools.

Dr Lorna Robinson, director of The Iris Project, said: “This festival is a celebration of the worlds which authors have created for readers to explore and enjoy in their writing.

“Author such as J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Lewis Carroll all have strong local connections, and some of their work has been inspired by local landscapes.”