A popular free book scheme for children is in crisis because a sponsorship deal is due to run out.

Bookstart allows parents to introduce children to books from an early age and give them a headstart in literacy.

Library staff in Oxfordshire are urgently appealing for local businesses to help rescue the scheme between March next year and April 2004, when full Government funding will be in place.

Parents are given a Bookstart pack by their health visitor at the time of their baby's seven-month check-up. The Library Service works with health visitors to co-ordinate the project.

Since 1999 almost 30,000 Bookstart packs have been distributed in Oxfordshire.

Sainsbury sponsored the scheme nationally from 1999 to 2001 and a series of small sponsorship deals have kept it going since then.

Neil Fawcett, the county council's executive member for culture and learning, said: "Bookstart is a very well used and much cherished scheme which introduces very young children to the magical world of books.

"It is a great shame that there is now a funding problem."

Organisations interested in providing sponsorship should call 01865 810212.