A WOMAN whose textbooks are used to teach English to millions of children around the world has written a book of stories to raise money for a parish church.

Claire Selby writes pre-primary English language courses, and is about to launch China’s first state-published programme to teach English phonics.

But now she has turned her pen to a cause closer to home – the tiny St John Baptist Church in Moulsford.

Working with illustrator Julia Howard, from Wallingford, who usually spends her time designing interiors of top restaurants, Mrs Selby has created a book of six short stories about church mice Holy and Moses. It is on sale in time for Christmas to raise money for vital repairs to the church.

Mrs Selby, 48, who lived in the village for five years before moving to Berrick Salome, said: “We were part of the Moulsford community for a long while and have a lot of friends there.

“The church was looking for a new way of raising money rather than selling busy lizzies and marvellous pots of jam.”

The book, priced £4.99, describes the mice’s adventures at Christmas, Easter and Pancake Day.

Their creator said: “They have a life of their own and make a lot of friends. At the end of the book we say the characters in the book are probably not related to anyone real.”

Mrs Howard, 60, who designs the interiors of Jamie Oliver’s restaurants and the Pret A Manger chain, said: “To be honest, I’m a grown-up illustrator, so it was a first for me. It’s certainly different because it has got to be a bit more vibrant. It has got to catch kids’ imagination.

“I don’t know if there will be any more books, but the sales are going quite well. “ Mrs Howard, who lives in Wallingford, first became involved in the church when her son and daughter played as organists there. Her late husband Peter, who died last year, is buried there.

She said: “It is a beautiful church. It is very alive, and at a lovely spot down by the river. I’m really in their debt, so it was a delight to work on this.”