THE Green Party candidate for Bromsgrove has given his backing to a children's literacy campaign.

A national campaign, Read On, Get on, aims to get every child reading well by the age of 11.

Giovanni Esposito, better known as Spoz, who has previously been a poet laureate and published a poetry book The Day The Earth Grew Hair, is supporting the campaign.

He said: "Nurturing an enjoyment of reading is so important.

"Just 10 minutes a day can have a big impact on a child's reading, and in turn their future. Yet sadly, it's not happening as much as it should.

"Kids love words, but they need support early on. As someone who makes a living out of words, it's clear to me the incoming government needs to get behind these key policies to improve child literacy."

Celebrities like David Walliams, Myleene Klass, Joanna Trollope and David Baddiel have been supporting the campaign, with families encouraged to share images, on social media, of themselves in their favourite reading spot.

For more on the campaign visit readongeton.org.uk.