Four young Cockermouth bookworms have won through to the national finals of the Kids' Lit Quiz.

The Cockermouth School team will head to Oxford next month to compete against the nation's best-read children.

The winners will head to the international finals in New Zealand.

The triumphant team consists of Daisy Eilbeck, 13, and William Thompson, 12, of year eight, and Herbie Ashworth and Isabella Bridgman, both 11, of year seven.

They took part in the North West heat this week at Pendle Vale College in Nelson, Lancashire.

There were 28 teams involved, each answering 100 questions in 10 categories. 

School librarian Helen Farrar, who accompanied the children, said: "The questions can be about anything written for children or young adults. There is no set reading list, contestants need to be widely read and have a good background knowledge of literature and reading – and to enjoy a challenge!"

The Cockermouth team, which changes every year as only students in year seven and eight are eligible, has won their local area heat for the past seven years. In 2011, the school won the UK final and went to New Zealand, it won again in 2013 and went to South Africa. 

"I am extremely proud of all our teams, both past and present, including our second team this year who came seventh overall," said Mrs Farrar.

Pupils from Keswick School also took part in the contest.

Year eight pupils Katie Millican, Matthew Jeremy, Molly Palmer and Katie Bithell proved to be the school's most successful team yet, coming fifth.

They were only two points away from being in the top three and were also the only team, across the whole of the ten rounds, to attain a perfect score in a round, achieving 10 our of 10 in the mythology round.