A BOOK set in Swindon has won the Whitbread Novel Prize.

Mark Haddon, the Oxford-based author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, has won £5,000 and a place as a finalist in the Whitbread Book of the Year.

The shortlist for the £25,000 top prize also includes the winners in the categories of first novel, poetry, biography and children's book.

The Whitbread judges, led by broadcaster and author Joan Bake-well, said of Mr Haddon's novel: "We felt that this was a rare and genuine example of a book which would sit equally well on the shelves of any bedroom in the house.

"We can think of few readers who would take no pleasure from this wonderful novel."

Mr Haddon said: "I feel grateful, amazed and a little light-headed.

"The reception has been so good since it came out in May that my feet have been a couple of inches

off the ground for the last 10 months."

In earlier interviews, the Northampton-born Mr Haddon, 41, explained that he chose Swindon as a location after realising that its station was an ideal setting for part of the story.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is narrated by

15-year-old Swindonian Christopher Boone.

Although it is never explicitly stated in the narrative, he has Asperger Syndrome, a form of autism often categorised by high intelligence coupled with a fascination with order and how things work, and an inability to read social signals such as body language and tone of voice.

Discovering a neighbour's dog has been killed with a garden fork, he sets out to investigate in the style of his hero, Sherlock Holmes.

His investigations lead him to disturbing revelations about his own background and that of his loved ones.

Eventually, he must travel alone to London, which for him is a terrifying ordeal.

The description of his journey includes sequences in Swindon's town centre, around the station and in the station itself, which is transformed in Christopher's mind into a place of hellish noise and confusion.

Mr Haddon is to appear at the Arts Centre in Devizes Road on May 5 as part of the Swindon Festival of Literature.

Festival director Matt Holland said: "This is literature of the highest order in a particularly special way.

"It has been in the top 10 of the bestseller list for some time now, and this award means it will become even more popular.

"It is fantastic for Swindon that people all over the world will be reading again and again details about Swindon and about life in Swindon."

Previous writing projects by Mr Haddon have included scripts for children's programmes such as Microsoap and two episodes of Starstreet.

The Whitbread Book of the Year will be announced on January 27 at London venue The Brewery.

Barrie Hudson