HUNDREDS of young literary lovers queued through Paignton yesterday eager to meet their author-hero, Jacqueline Wilson.

The children were the lucky ones to have bought sought-after tickets for the former Children's Laureate's book-signing session.

Just 200 tickets were available for the high-profile event, which was the only South West signing session undertaken by Jacqueline this autumn.

The award-winning author has sold 25million books in Britain alone, and between 2004 and 2008 she replaced Catherine Cookson as the most-borrowed author in Britain's libraries.

Tickets for her Paignton signing were priced at £1, with all proceeds going to the Children's Hospice South West.

Matthew Clarke, owner of Torbay Bookshop where the signing took place, said: "As Jacqueline is a children's author, we thought it would be appropriate for the ticket sales to go to the children's hospice.

"She absolutely loved the day. She was signing books for about five hours. It's amazing that she signed that many books.

"We sold 376 books on the day, and she was happy to chat with the children and have her photo taken.

"She was really good. It was one of the best signing sessions we've ever had here. People came from all over the South West to meet her."