Seven-year-old's wish to own a library comes true
Sean LawlessA seven-year-old who wanted her own mini community library for her birthday has enjoyed watching its success.
Lydia Lawless, from School Aycliffe in County Durham, saw a tiny library in Manchester when she was five and her next birthday wish was to own one.
Her grandad Craig Dixon set about building it and it has been so popular he has had to build a bigger one.
Lydia wanted to see other children enjoying her books and said it made her "really happy when she sees other children using it and enjoying the stories".
"I wanted to make a little library so people can share books and have something fun to read," she said.
Her mother Kate Lawless said she was "incredibly proud" of her daughter and pleased to see the idea so warmly embraced by the area.
She said: "It's fantastic to see it being used regularly by children across School Aycliffe, including a local nursery.
"Not only is it helping to encourage a love of reading, but it's also bringing the community together through sharing and swapping books."
Sean LawlessLydia's father Sean Lawless said he showed her a picture of a community library in Manchester, which sparked her interest in owning one.
"She wanted to put in her old books and share them with other children from the estate," he said.
"We tasked her grandad with making one and it just started getting used more and more."
Labour MP for Darlington Lola McEvoy visited the library and said it "was a joy".
"What a bright young girl to ask for a library for her birthday that has now become the place to be for all the children on her estate," the MP said.
"I hope more children follow suit across the town, I think Lydia's grandad will be kept busy making them."
