She’s entertained children across the world with her books – so it’s little wonder youngsters from Shropshire couldn’t wait to meet author.

The How To Train Your Dragon author told more than 400 pupils at primary schools in the Shrewsbury area about her love of stories while she was growing up.

Cressida’s books have been the inspiration for three hugely successful animated films, and she discussed several aspects of her work with pupils who gathered at Shrewsbury High School.

She spoke about the 12th and final novel in the How to Train Your Dragon series, which has just been published.

The books – which feature Vikings living in a town in the perpetual fear of attacks by fire-breathing dragons – were inspired by a combination of spending some of her childhood on a remote island off the coast of Scotland and her father’s keen interest in bird watching.

The visit was organised by the committee behind Shrewsbury Bookfest and has been hailed as a “huge success”.

Joanna Hughes, of Shrewsbury Bookfest, said enthusiasts had been trying to attract Cowell to the town for many years – and that she had not disappointed during Friday’s event. It comes just weeks after the Bookfest’s 18th annual May festival was held in the town and welcomed a host of other children’s authors, including Jacqueline Wilson, Lauren Child and Julian Clary.

Mrs Hughes said: “The event was absolutely brilliant. I am still buzzing about it now. It was just the most fantastic event and one of the highlights of the Bookfest calendar.

“Cressida is a very popular author in huge demand so we were thrilled when she said she would come and talk to pupils in Shrewsbury. We have been trying to get her here for years and she was brilliant.

“The event was a joint project with Shrewsbury High School who were brilliant as they provided a venue and used its own fleet of minibuses to help transport children from the town’s primary schools.”

Pupils from the following schools attended the author’s talk: Crowmoor Primary School, St George’s Junior School, Mount Pleasant Primary School, St Winefride’s Convent School, Greenfields Primary School, Prestfelde School, Greenacres Primary School, Shrewsbury High Prep School and Harlescott Junior School.