The Yorkshire Vet releases new children's book based on animal tales from his rounds

Entitled, “Adventures with a Yorkshire Vet: The Lucky Foal and other Animal Tales”, it follows from his previous children’s book, “Adventures with a Yorkshire Vet: Lambing Time and Other Animal Tales”.

The latest book, which also comes after six previous books based on his Yorkshire Post columns and experiences as a vet, covers being a vet through the Spring and Summer seasons into Autumn.

It was the success of the TV series The Yorkshire Vet on Channel 5 that led to Mr Norton swapping the stethoscope for the pen for a little while.

However, he said he knew that writing for children would be more difficult.

He told Country Post: “A lot of kids like The Yorkshire Vet and I thought it might be quite appealing. I knew it would be challenging and it was difficult to write for kids.

“The publishers wanted to take out complicated words, for example when talking about a prolapse, but I wanted to keep that so if they didn’t know a word they would go and look it up.

"As well as offering a view to the rural world for people in cities, it is accessible to kids who know more about a rural lifestyle. I never expect that anybody will read it or enjoy it, so knowing kids have taken something from it has been quite nice.”

Two of his particular favourite snippets from the new book are a story about lead poisoning in cattle which turned out to have been caused by floods and a foal that went walk about and surprised a couple enjoying a later summer evening glass of wine.

It is through the television series that writing opportunities came about for Mr Norton – who splits his working time between Sandbeck Vets in Wetherby and Thirsk Veterinary Centre.

He said: “After episode one of series one of The Yorkshire Vet, I wanted to see what the response would be. There were two emails.

"One from an electrician in Derbyshire who said I like your programme but noticed a lot of your appliances are not PAT tested and can do you a competitive quote. The next email was just as opportunist, from a book agent in London that was originally from Harrogate saying you could write a really good book.

“That is how it started. I had been interested in the idea of writing but never thought I would have the chance. By episode three the programme was quite popular so I thought what is to say I couldn’t have a go at writing - and got totally hooked.”

“Adventures with a Yorkshire Vet: The Lucky Foal and other Animal Tales” is out on June 1 from Walker Books.

On that evening he will do an event with Kemps Books at The Milton Rooms in Malton followed by a book signing. He will be in conversation with columnist Sally Couthard about his work, writing, celebrity, TV work, why his latest books are for children as well as interests in nature, farming and rural life.

On Saturday June 3, Mr Norton will be signing books at White Rose Books in Thirsk.