After writing a short story for her new grandson, Jan Cooper never imagined it would be published.

But now The Sick Witch is available in book shops across the country, and one copy has even been ordered from America.

Mrs Cooper, 50, from Carterton, said she was “absolutely gobsmacked” by the book’s success.

The Sick Witch tells the story of Mrs Pinnegar, who catches flu.

Being a witch, her magic is affected by the disease and whenever she coughs or sneezes she casts a spell.

She accidentally produces a blue gorilla, an antelope, a huge bath, two pink hares, a red banana, a piano and a palm tree.

The book has been written in rhyming prose and aims to get three- to seven-year-olds interested in English.

Mrs Cooper, who writes under the pen name Janet Turvey, said: “The written word is absolutely wonderful and I think it’s important to teach children to like words.

“If you can get children interested in it early enough, they have got that wonder of language for the rest of their lives.”

She added: “I started writing when my grandson was born. I was writing for him.

“I’ve also got two nephews and a niece, who I test my ideas out on. My three-year-old niece goes mad for it.”

The Sick Witch was released on November 25 and is available at amazon.co.uk