LITTLE Britain star David Walliams is heading to Lakeside later this month as part of National Story Telling Week.

Walliams, also an author, will head to the shopping centre over the school half term, February 17-21, to take part in a celebrity story telling session exclusively for 50 parents and their children selected from the database of the Lakeside’s kids club.

In celebration of National Story Telling Week, which takes place from February 1-8, Lakeside have announced a ccommitment to promoting literacy throughout 2014 through a partnership with the National Literacy Trust.

Every school holiday, Lakeside will run free events with a focus on reading and storytelling for families to attend together. Each month the shopping centre will also host free story days in centre and hundreds of books will be donated to children in the region who need them the most.

Izzie Peskett, the centre’s marketing manager, said: “We are partnering with the National Literacy Trust this year to improve literacy levels in our local area and get more parents and children reading together.

“Literacy is something that affects everyone and we believe every child should be given the best possible introduction to reading as it is such a big part of everyday life at every age.”

Thurrock Council leader John Kent, said: “This is a fabulous campaign and supports the delivery of our top priority to raise educational attainment and give our children the best possible start in life.”

For more information about Lakeside’s year of reading together, visit www.intulakeside.co.uk