A FORMER air stewardess from Alfrick is flying high in the world of publishing as she celebrates the publication of her first children's book.

Mary Allan, 35, is the author of A Visit To The Dentist, the first in a series of books about Munks the cheeky monkey and his adventures.

The publication is the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition for Ms Allan.

"I have always dreamed about becoming a writer and the idea for this series came to me one day while I was listening to the radio in my car," she said.

"I heard a news item about a young girl who needed an important operation. I started thinking about the difficulties parents must face when trying to explain certain situations to children and by the end of my journey I had decided to write the Munks series."

The experiences of Munks and his friends in the books are ones that young children will recognise. Future subjects include a day at school and Munks' trip on an aeroplane, one book Ms Allan, as a former stewardess, is unlikely to need to research.

"By following Munks' adventures children will learn about lots of situations that might otherwise be daunting," she said.

"Together the friends show how common sense and friendship can overcome even the most worrying of new circumstances and young readers have an opportunity to learn about some of the different environments or people they might encounter in everyday life."

Publishers Brooke House Publications have pledged to support the Acorns Children's Hospice with the launch of the book as Ms Allan was keen that a children's charity should benefit from her work.

A Visit to the Dentist is available from bookshops, priced £3.99. For more information visit www.munks.co.uk.