A TEENAGER from Tenbury is on a mission to raise thousands of pounds for NHS Charities Together.

Neeko Hewson, 13, who has both dyslexia and dyscalculia, became a first-time published author with the release of 'Abberley Hall: The Magical Clock Tower' in May.

All profits from her adventurous tale for nine to 12-year-olds will support NHS staff across the UK.

"I dreamt of writing a story to tell other children about when I was nine years old, but I didn't think it would be possible to create, let alone publish, a book because of my learning difficulties," revealed Neeko, who is a pupil at Abberley Hall School in Worcestershire.

"My English teacher said: 'Write what you know', so I thought about the old clock tower at my school and what magic might be hiding behind its door. I started putting a picture book together; then, when Covid hit, I worked on my project even harder. "I used my time in lockdown to work on my characters and the magical lands, painting pictures of them with my family.

"Covid was really hard for NHS key workers and so, through my book, I really want to raise money to help with their mental health."

Over the course of two years, ghost writer Jude Lennon and illustrator Lisa Williams from publishing house TAUK Kids helped Neeko to develop her ideas during a series of Zoom calls and home visits.

Abberley Hall: The Magical Clock Tower' is available to purchase from galaxy-publishing.com. Donations can be made at justgiving.com/fundraising/TheMagicalClockTower