By Gillian Ellison

Last updated 15:52, Wednesday, 23 April 2008

ONE of Britain’s most popular writers is coming to Whitehaven Civic Hall.

TOP AUTHOR: Gervase Phinn is coming to Whitehaven

And Gervase Phinn will have plenty of tales to tell when he comes on May 8.

He leads a very full and busy life – he is a teacher, freelance lecturer, author, poet, broadcaster, educational consultant and after-dinner speaker!

But perhaps he is best known as the author of the four Dales books. Dubbed ‘the James Herriot of Schools’, his warm-hearted reminiscences about the life of a school inspector in The Yorkshire Dales became instant best sellers.

His novels include Up & Down In The Dales his most recent, The Other Side Of The Dale, Over Hill & Dale and Head Over Heels In The Dales.

They also proved highly popular on Radio 4’s Book of the Week and Book at Bedtime. Gervase has made numerous television and radio appearances and has written a range of academic books as well as children’s poetry and fiction. He is a feature writer for the Yorkshire Post and for the Countryman Magazine and presenter for Teachers’ Television.

Gervase taught English in a range of schools for 14 years until, in 1984, he became the general adviser for language development in Rotherham.

Four years later he moved to North Yorkshire where he spent 10 years as a schools inspector, a time which provided him with much of the inspiration for his books. Later he was appointed principal adviser for the county.

He has four grown-up children and lives near Doncaster with his wife, Christine.

Gervase has been touring the UK’s major theatres since April 2004 playing to full houses at over 150 theatres.

Telephone Whitehaven Civic Hall on 01946 514 960 for ticket details.