A CHILDREN'S book penned by a local author is bringing joy and much-needed cash to African youngsters - including a baby abandoned in a field.

All proceeds from Meet TC, the enchanting children's book about Bournemouth author Gill Cornfield's own cat, is going to Mama Laadi's permanent foster home for 30 children in Ghana, backed by the Afrikids charity.

One of the youngsters, three-month-old Blessed, was found dying of malnutrition and malaria after being abandoned.

She was adopted by the home and money raised by the book has helped her recover to the point where she is now walking.

The book was edited and illustrated by local schoolchildren and endorsed by singer-songwriter Chris De Burgh, who appears at the BIC in Bournemouth tomorrow.

Gill said: "The money is also used to pay for training older children, to enable them to earn a living, so our local children have made a difference to the world. The more books we sell, the bigger the difference!"

Gill will be signing copies of the book this Saturday at Costa Coffee in Waterstone's Bournemouth store in The Arcade from 11.30 am until noon, and copies are still available from Bookends, 67 High Street, Christchurch.