YOUNGSTERS from a Thirsk independent school had a scary visitor last week as part of National Storytelling Week.

Year three and four girls from Queen Mary’s School in Topcliffe, Thirsk, were greeted by a wicked witch after following a trail of apples.

The wicked witch – better known as maths teacher Amy Telford - had a film star make-over to transform herself into the frightening fairytale creature.

It was part of a week-long focus on reading and story-telling at the school to improve the children’s reading and imaginations.

Staff and pupils found performance storytelling was a powerful experience that was both entertaining and moving.

National Storytelling Week was created by the Society for Storytelling to highlight storytelling as at the root of every art form as we think in story form and make sense of our world in narrative.