VERY young bookworms are invited to take part in a special competition being run through Wiltshire libraries.

The contest, called the Baby Book Crawl, is organised by Wiltshire County Council and will take place in May as part of the national Bookstart scheme.

Parents who enter their babies and young children up to four years old will be given a special card and their child will receive a sticker for every book they borrow from a library in Wiltshire.

Once they have collected six stickers they will be entered into a draw to win special board books.

Board books, which are designed to be enjoyed by babies and toddlers, can be found at all libraries.

The Bookstart scheme is run by the Bookstart Trust and aims to provide every baby in the country with a pack of free books and guidance material.

Children's librarian Jo Little said: "Extensive research has proved the positive effect of Bookstart as an excellent pre-literacy strategy. Bookstart children perform better at educational assessments, and are three times more likely to enjoy reading. We also hope to encourage parents to re-examine their own literacy needs."