A RETIRED headmistress who is now a successful author has just returned to her former school near Tenbury Wells to gain inspiration from current pupils for her next project.

Susan Summers, aged 79, was one of the founding members of the Abberley Hall School junior department, now called the pre-prep, becoming headmistress of that department in the late 1970s.

Her four children also attended the school, with her son Richard being head boy in 1972.

She took up writing in retirement and has had nine children’s books published but has kept in touch with Abberley Hall, returning recently to celebrate World Book Day.

“It was lovely to visit the pupils and I spent the day telling fairy stories to the pupils and making a book with the five to seven-year-olds,” said Susan.

She also talked about her latest publication, called The Greatest Gift, to the children and has dedicated the book to the pupils.

“My next project will to update a story which I wrote for my son Richard when he was a child," she said.

“It is very exciting and I am looking forward to coming back when it is published and sharing it with the pre-prep department.”